Umbrellas

One of the unwritten rules for Moscow residents is never to leave home without an umbrella. The weather can go from one extreme to another in the blink of an eye.

When caught in the rain without a zontik (umbrella), some Muscovites are unfazed, proving that bad weather can't interrupt a phone conversation — or a cigarette.

A man and child walking by the GUM shopping center on Red Square.

A couple walking through the rain on the Tretyakovsky Bridge, a popular location for newlyweds, who traditionally place locks on iron trees there to symbolize their bonds of love.

The rain couldn't dampen these peoples' spirits on the Tretyakovsky Bridge.

This man was advertising a branch of the Korchma restaurant chain on the Garden Ring Road near Sukharevskaya metro station when the rain hit.

A man inquiring about getting some shoes fixed at a kiosk on Lesnaya Ulitsa.

A couple taking shelter under their umbrella as a column of police officers march by on Teatralnaya Ploshchad.

Sometimes the wind is so strong that there's simply no escaping it, no matter what direction your umbrella is pointed.

And sometimes your umbrella cannot withstand the elements.

This is a less common sight, but sometimes it is sunny enough to warrant using one's umbrella to create some shade, as this man at a market near Dmitrovskaya metro station.

A man strolling past a row of military personnel just off Red Square.? 

Moscow city authorities sometimes use military aircraft to diperse cement powder, silver iodide and dry ice into clouds in a process called "cloud seeding," which in turn disperses the clouds and creates an artificially sunny day. This technique is usually reserved for holidays and state visits. Not, apparently, for construction sites.

A woman braving the elements and the traffic on Tverskaya Ulitsa.