Record April Blizzard Hit Moscow

(MENAFN) A ferocious late-April snowstorm of historic proportions paralyzed the Russian capital Monday, smashing a string of meteorological records and triggering sweeping disruptions to transport, infrastructure, and daily life across Moscow and its surrounding regions.

Emergency services reported that roughly 50 trees had been toppled under the weight of dense, waterlogged snow driven by powerful winds, with power lines also sustaining damage across the city.

Mayor Sergei Sobyanin placed municipal services on maximum alert, cautioning residents that conditions were set to deteriorate further, with wind gusts forecast to reach up to 23 meters per second. Authorities elevated the weather advisory to orange-level status, warning of blizzard conditions and dangerous icing.

The scale of the storm stunned meteorologists. Mikhail Leus, a senior specialist at the Fobos Weather Center, confirmed that snow accumulation had reached 12 centimeters by morning — eclipsing the previous late-April record of 10 centimeters set 55 years ago. Overnight precipitation measured 16 millimeters, surpassing a benchmark that had stood since 1880, while atmospheric pressure plummeted to a record low.

Transportation networks buckled under the strain, with train services and airport operations both reporting significant delays. City authorities suspended rentals of electric scooters and car-sharing vehicles fitted with summer tires, and called on Muscovites to rely on public transit and refrain from non-essential travel.

The majority of the city's parks were shuttered over safety concerns. Forecasters indicated the snowfall would begin to taper off by Monday evening, though wintry conditions were expected to persist into Tuesday.

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