As I approached Dec 5th I was awaiting the severe weather effects the Wehrmacht had historically endured just as the Russian counter-offensive was unleashed. It didn't happen. Playing ahead 5 turns to observe the weather it was clear the designer had put in variables for this happening--not surprising as I had noted variables in place for almost everything. I wanted historical weather for this play through so I got the data on Moscow weather (in the graph below--posted by a Moscovite on the Axis History Forum), and whenever severe temperatures appeared historically I played turns over and over until I got the needed weather and then carried on. In game terms the adverse effects are extraordinary, ranging from -20 AP and -10 morale, to -130 AP and morale -65. At it's extreme all of those units affected are frozen in place and unable to move or attack, and with greatly impaired defensive values.
Part of the reason for doing this, apart from being very much into historical realism in these projects, was to give the Soviet AI a needed boost for the offensive. If you look closely at the 83.ID insert you will see it is still on Blitzkrieg posture (-25% Def.)--call it the "Hitler Effect." I certainly can't be accused of pushing for a win at all costs.
