Moscow Buried in Heaviest Snowfall in Over 200 Years

Moscow has experienced its heaviest snowfall in more than two centuries, according to meteorologists from Moscow State University. Nearly 92 millimetres of precipitation were recorded by January 29, marking the highest level in 203 years.

AFP images from the Russian capital, home to around 13 million people, showed residents wading through deep snow in central districts. Snowbanks reached up to 60 centimetres in some areas, while commuter trains were delayed and traffic ground to a halt as cars became trapped in long jams.

University meteorologists described January as unusually cold and snowy, attributing the record-breaking conditions to powerful cyclones and sharp atmospheric fronts moving across the region.

Although snowfall appears extreme, scientists noted that snow is mostly air, meaning the visible accumulation far exceeds measured water precipitation.

Some residents expressed mixed feelings. “There was much more snow when I was a kid,” said Pavel, a 35-year-old bartender, reflecting on a sense of emptiness during the long, dark winter.

The extreme weather comes amid broader disruptions across Russia. Earlier this month, authorities in the far eastern Kamchatka region declared a state of emergency after a massive snowstorm left cities partially paralysed, with snowdrifts rising to second-storey heights and residents digging vehicles out of buried streets.