Record November Snowfall In Moscow

[Summer Sun]

Moscow has been blanketed by the biggest November snowfall in 50 years, disrupting flights and causing havoc on the roads. The snowstorm has dumped nearly 12cm (4.7ins) on the Russian capital in 24 hours – a third of the amount of snow usually expected for the whole of November. The roads in the capital were clogged up and bulldozers were brought in to clear Red Square. Some 70 flights from Moscow's largest airport, Domodedovo, were disrupted overnight but the service has now returned to normal.

Moscow's city hall said the Russian capital had not seen such a big snowfall in November for 50 years. Forecasters say that the storm will continue until Friday morning. The record snowfall follows the publication of a World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) report which said that January to October had been the ninth warmest period globally since records began in 1850. It said that extreme weather patterns, such as snowstorms, heatwaves, droughts and floods, were evidence of climate change.

This year heatwaves hit Russia and the US, which registered 15,000 new daily temperature records in March alone. China suffered drought, and flooding struck many parts of Western Africa. Russia suffered significant flooding in western regions in July. Michel Jarraud, the chief of the WMO, said: "Climate change is taking place before our eyes and will continue to do so."

http://news.sky.com/story/1018261/moscow-hit-by-biggest-snowfall-in-50-years

[AderynCoch]

That goes to show how Moscow's winters are more about persistence of snow than quantity. 12cm was easily beaten in many parts of Britain in November 2010, and I myself saw about 15cm in Sheffield in November 2004. Big falls of snow are uncommon in Moscow, despite snow itself being the norm.

[PMPhotography]

Bulldozers? To clear snow?! Seems a bit excessive.

[Bradowl]

Hard to believe that 12cm of Snow would cause problems in Moscow.

[glosteroldboy]

Bulldozers? To clear snow?! Seems a bit excessive.

I think they mean snow plows? Or are they the same thing. Pretty standard to clear snow.

I must admit I was expecting it to be more than 12cm when i read the headline, we had around 15cm ourselves on Wednesday which is fairly common in November though was the only real snowfall all month, Novembers even Decembers here aren't that snowy compared to Jan/Feb.

Continental climates are different though, deeper prolonged cold but not the snow volume but as it stays generally so cold with little snow melt so can build up that way even with smaller falls. Here we get alot of snow but milder interludes that can often clear away the snow....like the UK I suppose here just a bit more extreme and guarantees of plenty of snow.

[4wd]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/post/moscow-sees-heaviest-november-snowfall-in-50-years-wintry-conditions-in-germany-central-europe/2012/11/29/e2d4d3a0-3a5b-11e2-b01f-5f55b193f58f_blog.html

It says 8" here, still surprising they got caught out.

I guess these days the traffic levels are more like our urban areas whilst in the past you used to see mainly 4x4 trucks, a few old Ladas and the occasional Limousine.

[4wd]

Still it goes on, weeks of winter still to come and already one of the snowiest winters recorded.

http://www.themoscow...l#ixzz2K4m8i13z

[Styx]

Still it goes on, weeks of winter still to come and already one of the snowiest winters recorded.

http://www.themoscow...l#ixzz2K4m8i13z

..and probably much milder than normal. Southern Russia defiently is. Moscow most likely is.

Record snowfall at these latitudes has nothing to do with it being extremely cold ( as you well know! )

Nice try.