Russians on Thursday witnessed some of the hottest weather in over a century, with Moscow breaking a 1917 record as temperatures soared above 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) across the country.

In Moscow, where winter temperatures can plummet to minus 40 degrees Celsius, the temperature rose to 32.7 degrees Celsius on July 3, surpassing the 1917 record for that day by half a degree, according to the FOBOS weather centre.

Temperature records were shattered from Russia's Pacific coast and Siberia to its European regions. The extreme heat led to a surge in demand for air conditioners and fans, while Muscovites consumed record amounts of ice cream and cold drinks. Water was distributed to passengers in the metro and on many trains.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin urged the residents of the Moscow metropolitan area, which has a population of well above 20 million, to take precautions and avoid going outside at the hottest times of the day. 

"During the day, the air temperature will exceed the climatic norm and rise above 30 degrees again," Sobyanin said.

Sobyanin further stated that thunderstorms are expected on Friday, with a chance of hail.

According to Roman Vilfand, the director of the Rosgidromet weather service, temperatures in Moscow reached 32.5 degrees Celsius (90.5 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday, surpassing the 1917 record.

Vilfand informed RIA Novosti news agency that the temperature will remain above 24.5 degrees Celsius during the upcoming nights, describing these "Egyptian nights" as hazardous because they prevent people from cooling down after the high daytime temperatures.

Earlier, Roman Vilfand, the scientific head of the Russian Hydrometeorological Center, informed TASS that today's air temperature reached the record high of 1890, warming up to 32 degrees Celsius. Previously, the maximum for this day was 31.9 degrees Celsius.

Additionally, the metropolitan region remains under an orange weather alert until noon on Thursday, July 4. On color-coded maps, this indicates weather conditions with a high likelihood of natural disasters and damage.