The cold blast is in contrast to last year when the first snow in western Siberia came only in the first week of October. Picture: Aleksei Salamatov

In Yakutia the snow came earlier - with the first falls on 28-29 August, before the official end of summer.

But in western Siberia the first white blanket has now come to the cities of Omsk, Tomsk, Novosibirsk, Kemerovo, and Krasnoyarsk, as well as both Altai Republic and Altai region.

Drivers have been warned to take care across this large area.

Drivers have been warned to take care across this large area.

The cold blast is in contrast to last year when the first snow in western Siberia came only in the first week of October.

So far the coldest temperature as the new winter approaches is around minus 5C in Aldan, Neryungi, Aikhal and Verkhoyansk - all in Yakutia region, officially the Sakha Republic.

The first white blanket has now come to the cities of Omsk, Tomsk, Novosibirsk, Kemerovo, and Krasnoyarsk, as well as both Altai Republic and Altai region.

Thanks from The Siberian Times to the following for these pictures: Typical Omsk, @insta.kargasok, @isaev_dimon86, @surovickiy, Typical Kemerovo, Sibdepo, @anya_mameli, @hodoeshe4ka, @dashikaz, @konstantin_chebotko, Svetlana Kazina, Tania Fokina, Evgeny Glazunov