Russia’s capital has recorded its heaviest snowfall in 56 years, with 42 percent of the city’s average monthly precipitation falling in just 24 hours.
“The snowstorm that hit central Russia on Friday brought record-breaking snowfall, paralyzing ground and air traffic across the region,” said Evgeny Tishkovets, a leading specialist at the Phobos Weather Center.
Moscow’s main weather station at the Exhibition Centre of the National Economy measured 22 millimeters of precipitation in a single day — equal to 42 percent of the monthly norm — followed by an additional 2 millimeters of light snow overnight, Tishkovets said.
Sheremetyevo International Airport reported clearing more than 1 million cubic meters of snow from its grounds over the past day.
By noon Saturday, 78 flights at Moscow’s four major airports had been delayed by more than two hours and 35 had been canceled, according to the Ministry of Transport. All four airports had resumed full operations by midday.
Moscow Railway said roughly 70,000 cubic meters of snow had been removed from the city’s rail infrastructure in the same period.
