More counterexamples. The average temperature in European Russia, the Ural Mountains and Siberia is 10 degrees, or lower, below normal.
21 Dec 2016 – During all days of December, the average temperature has not come close to normal.
The temperature in the Khanty-Mansiysk dropped to -43ºC, setting a new daily record. The previous record was -39.6 degrees in 1937.
In Salekhard, it fell to -41.5 degrees, also a new record.
And last night in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, the temperature dropped to -43ºC, -46ºC.
Temperature map (live).
Sources translated from Russian: