If you look at it on a zoomed map, it's almost the same latitude as Greece. Makes sense, but who knew? Not me!

Does the weather in the south surprise you right now? Perhaps they are suffering the same fate, only at the warm end. It seems that I have read it is unusual this year.

Yes, very surprised and I was also surprised that Sochi is located on the coast. Seems like it is wreaking havoc on the snowboarders.

Marygaily, yes of course the weather in the south surprises me. But that is an anomaly.

The warm weather in Russia is normal, as they are a coastal country, as Dedtired just mentioned.

I'd never heard of Sochi before this, but then my geography isn't the best. An area with palm trees seems like an odd choice for the winter Olympics.

Though Russia is known for its famously frigid winters, Sochi enjoys a more moderate climate. The town is a beach resort on the Black Sea, in the far southwestern corner of the country, and winter temperatures here are often the warmest in Russia. It's humid and warm enough for palm trees to line the city streets. February temperatures in Sochi average about 50 F (10 C), so this week's heat wave isn't a shocker for locals. According to Olympic organizers, accommodating a possible heat wave was part of the planning for the 2014 Winter Games.

I remember even back as far as the last Olympics people commenting on how the Sochi was a bad choice of location for the Winter Olympics since it verges on a sub-tropical climate, and heard predictions of warm weather and little or no snow. So the thing that is surprising to me isn't that its so warm there, its that despite how warm it is, so far, they seem to be bringing it off.

Putin insisted on Sochi, as it is a favorite playground of his. I read about the inappropriate choice a couple of years ago. So I'm not surprised at all.

very surprised , had no idea there was such a lovely area as that in Russia shows me how little I know about our wonderful world.

The weather has been surprising me, too many images of Dr. Zhivago lingering ;)

Going by the weekly email I receive from a woman in beautiful coastal croatia, the weather there at Sochi has only been a little colder. Oceanside snow rare, and a winter jacket, not heavy coat, adequate.

Did anyone else catch the piece NBC did on Siberia? Wow, that is one cold place. The people there are absolutely gorgeous, to my eye. Their horses were beautiful, too. I was surprised to see a modern city there. I had imagined it as a frozen tundra with people living in yurts. I am learning a lot about Russia.

No! And despite being horrible with maps and hating the Olympics I knew about Sochi's weather and thought it was a very poor choice for the winter Olympics. Now if Sochi had OUR weather....

Not surprised either, as I read the article about it being a poor choice right after it was chosen.

Palm trees + moderate climate makes for bad winter Olympic conditions.

Did anyone else catch the piece NBC did on Siberia? Wow, that is one cold place. The people there are absolutely gorgeous, to my eye. Their horses were beautiful, too. I was surprised to see a modern city there. I had imagined it as a frozen tundra with people living in yurts. I am learning a lot about Russia.

How did duplicate posts appear nearly five hours apart??

Never heard of Sochi before this and never knew palm trees grew in Russia. Next winter Olympics should be in my town...freezing cold and snow for months now.