Consequences of abnormal snowfall in Moscow: trucks skidded on the Moscow Ring Road

63 heavy trucks rescued from snow captivity

Cyclone “Vanya” covered Moscow with snow at night. Heavy snowfall will continue for at least another day. One-fifth of the normal monthly precipitation fell in the capital. The snow apocalypse came not only to Moscow, but to other central regions of the Russian Federation: Tula, Tver, Vologda, Orel, etc. The capital authorities claim that public utilities are working in emergency mode, using all available resources. But it’s still not possible to satisfy Muscovites; social networks are full of complaints about the slow clearing of the streets from the white mass.

The Department of Transport urged Muscovites to leave their personal cars in the parking lot, and also reported that the ground transport schedule could be adjusted due to weather conditions. In the afternoon there will be traffic jams in the central part of the city, on the Garden Ring, the Third Transport Ring and outbound highways towards the region. Residents are asked to travel by metro, MCC and MCD.

“Snowfalls are breaking records! – Mikhail Leus, a leading employee of the Phobos weather center, said in his Telegram channel. – In Moscow, as expected, the daily record for the height of snow cover was updated. Now, according to the city’s base weather station, VDNKh, for December 15 it is 38 cm! The previous achievement dated back to 1919 and was 32 cm. At the same time, at the Moscow State University weather station, the snow height reached 49 cm!”

He also cited a historical parallel: “By the way, the highest December snowdrifts in Moscow were observed 104 years ago: on December 28, 1919, the height of the snow cover reached 68 cm when the norm was 17 cm.”

“On this snowy morning, we are with you: 30 crews of the Road Patrol Data Center continue to help drivers on the road 24/7,” the Moscow Roads channel cited the data, accompanying them with a lot of video footage of difficulties with vehicles. – They tow those stuck in snowdrifts, help with minor car malfunctions and draw up European protocols. It’s especially difficult on the Moscow Ring Road as trucks skid here. During the night, the Highway Patrol helped 63 heavy trucks get out of snow captivity.”

“Our advice for today: leave the car at home, it’s better to use public transport – it works normally,” say representatives of the data center.

One can only sympathize with those motorists who, despite warnings, still could not leave their iron horses in the “stable” in the morning: the Department of Transport warns that by the evening traffic jams in the capital could reach 9 points.

Residents of the working-class village of Lopatino in the Moscow region are not at all happy about the snowfall: in footage circulating on social networks, passengers are pushing a bus that is stuck on a snow-covered roadway. By the way, it is not clear whether they managed to push him out: the video ends. But in another video – from New Moscow – residents defeated the elements: they pushed a stuck truck out of the snow. Moreover, there were about twenty “pushers”. The video was wittily accompanied by the song: “Hey, let’s whoop!” “Oh, these little guys, our buses still perform their function,” Muscovites leave comments.

“Utilities workers have been eliminating the consequences of the Vanya cyclone that hit Moscow throughout the day: they are constantly mechanized sweeping and de-icing treatment of roads and sidewalks,” the Moscow agency reported. “KGC employees are doing everything possible to clear snow from yards and streets, and also pay special attention to clearing pedestrian areas, approaches to public transport stops, metro and MCC stations, and social facilities.” True, many Muscovites, especially in residential areas, can argue with these statements. Social networks are filled with complaints, here is one of them: “This is my sixth winter in Moscow, I don’t remember this, that nothing was cleaned, the center is filled with snow, it’s impossible to walk, it’s impossible to drive a car!”

But residents of the Moscow region are convinced that Moscow is being cleaned much faster: “Snowfall is not welcome everywhere except Moscow, because nowhere except Moscow is it cleaned at all. In the same Podolsk, which is nearby, there are three tractors driving, and then near the administration of this “sort of” city,” a resident of Podolsk complained.

But already on the weekend it will become a little easier for utility workers: after Cyclone “Vanya” the first thaw will come to Moscow, and the snow cover will decrease.