NewsRescue
A record amount of snow has fallen on Moscow and parts of central Russia. According to Evgeny Tishkovets, senior meteorologist at the FOBOS meteorological centre, the capital received one-fifth of the monthly average for December on Thursday night alone.
According to Tishkovets, the “anomalous snowfall” was triggered by a cyclone that blanketed Moscow with snowdrifts not seen in the capital for over a century.
By the end of Friday, the city’s fresh snowfall is forecast to be half a metre (20 inches) deep.
Tishkovets said on Telegram that the previous greatest snowfall in Moscow on the same date was 32cm (12.6 inches) in 1919. “15 December 2023 deservedly becomes the record holder for snowdrifts,” he remarked in an email.
The storm formed in the North Atlantic at the end of last week, according to FOBOS, and arrived in Moscow on Thursday evening. It is predicted to “reach its peak” on Friday.
Officials from Moscow’s transport department are advising drivers to consider taking public transport instead of driving. According to officials, the harsh weather has resulted in an upsurge in minor traffic incidents.
Online videos showed trucks becoming trapped in the snow and drivers being assisted by utility staff and bystanders.
A similar condition was reported in other central Russian districts. There have been multiple reports of public transport cars becoming stranded in the snow in Voronezh Region.
