The main characteristic of nature and climate is a variety. In the south city (upper 1000 m) you can breath with air of glaciers. In the north regions (down 500 m) you can smell the air of steps and deserts. The climate changes from the continental till the subcontinental (near to the arctic) with great differences of temperatures during one day. Walking along the streets in the summer up and down you can find yourself in deferent climate zones.
It's a place of "two season" - winter and summer and each one is picturesque. Intermediate seasons - spring and autumn are short and changeable. You can get up in the clean summer morning, survive a hot sunny day, the same day to be a witness of incredible short storm with thunders, lightnings and enormous water flows, and to finish a day with a snow fall ... Luckily, these semi-seasons are short! Sometimes the storms seem to be a catastrophic ... But they last not so long and after a few minutes the city landscape can be changed beyond recognition. Quite often the snow covers the blossom trees and flowers.