Snowy frosty winters - who doesn't love them? Remember how great it was in childhood to play snowballs, sculpt a snowman. But recently in winter there is no longer such an abundant amount of precipitation. So what's next? When is snow expected in Moscow?
Is a lot of snow good?
Of course, not everyone is happy about harsh winters, especially when the weather brings snowfall in Moscow. Drivers and road services such conditions create a lot of inconvenience. For motorists, these are traffic jams, snowdrifts and many other unpleasant moments. Road services are added to the difficult job of clearing roads day and night.
But let's look at it from the positive side. There is a lot of precipitation - this is a game of snowballs, and fun walks in the park, skiing and sledding. Who among us hasn't wanted to go back to childhood for a little while? And winter with its snowfalls gives this opportunity to everyone.
How much snow falls in Moscow
Number of snowfalls in Moscow forthe winter period of recent years is very unstable. So, over the past ten years there have been winters with both a minimum amount of snowfall and almost a record one. But, on average, the height of the snow cover in Moscow is about 50 cm. And, for example, in the winter of 2016-2017. there was not much rainfall - the height of the cover was about 38 cm.
The first snow usually falls in mid or late November. But at this time there are no such strong snowstorms and drifts on the roads. Yes, and snow, as a rule, falls wet, or with rain. But by mid-December, the weather conditions begin to change, and by the New Year the earth is already covered with a snow-white blanket. However, the weather can surprise both with rain in December and heavy snowfalls in March.
The snowiest winter
The winter period with the smallest amount of precipitation in the form of snow fell in 2013-2014. Snowfalls in Moscow this season were the weakest and most insignificant. This situation was recorded in the capital for the first time in the history of winter meteorology. The maximum height of the snow cover then was only 18 cm.
Not much snow fell in the winter of 2007-2008 either. Although the average duration of winter corresponded to the norm by day, there was not much rainfall. The average snow depth at that time was no more than 24 cm. The rest of the winters, according to data for the past ten years, fit into the accepted standard.
Record snowfalls
The winter period of 2012-2013 was anomalous in terms of precipitation. ATthis season was the heaviest snowfall in Moscow. Usually, the amount of precipitation during the winter in March begins to decrease, but this year, on the contrary, it increased from 36 cm to as much as 52 cm.
This season set a record for the amount of snow that fell in one day. So, on March 13, 2013, a heavy snowfall began in Moscow, which lasted for three whole days. During this time, the cyclone brought the capital region as much as 42 cm of snow cover to the surface of the earth. During these three days, a monthly rainfall fell in Moscow.
The latest snowfalls in Moscow were recorded in the past year. Winter reminded of itself on June 2, which is an anomalous phenomenon for the temperate climate zone in which Moscow is located. Prior to this, the latest snowfall was considered, which fell on April 26 and 27, 1971. This spring, in two days, there was so much precipitation that the snow cover, albeit temporary, was as much as eight centimeters. And the temperature these days was quite low for this time of year. It dropped to -3 °С.
The highest drifts
High snowdrifts in Moscow in recent years - not such a frequent occurrence. After all, their formation is influenced not only by the amount of precipitation, but also by the gusts of wind that form them. If you look at the data of the meteorological center of the Russian Federation over the past 20 years, you can see that the highest snowdrifts in Moscow were recorded a long time ago. It was in the winter of 1993-1994. During this period, there were not only heavy snowfalls,but the wind gusts reached more than seven meters per second.
Record snowdrifts were noted at the end of February 1994. Then, in just a few days in the capital of Russia, snowdrifts reached a height of as much as 78 centimeters. However, it should be borne in mind that with the gusts of wind that were in those days (seven meters per second), the resulting snowdrifts can exceed the amount of precipitation themselves by dozens of times.
In simple terms, ten millimeters of snowfall in windy weather will increase the thickness of the snow cover by ten centimeters, and 30 mm will turn it into 30 cm, and so on. If it is wet snow outside and a strong wind blows, then the thickness of the cover will be much less, this is due to the severity and density of wet snow.
When is it expected to snow in Moscow?
As everyone has already noticed, the weather conditions in Moscow and the region have been unpredictable lately and every now and then present new and most unexpected surprises. So what to expect from the weather? Will winter come soon? Not a calendar, but a real Russian winter, with all its frosts and snowstorms. When is snow expected in Moscow?
According to the Russian Hydrometeorological Center, they should be expected in the very near future. But so far short and insignificant. Longer, almost every day, precipitation should come at the end of November. This state of affairs is the norm and is very typical for the climatic zone in which Moscow is located. But what this winter will be like, weather forecasters do not dare to predict yet.
However, if we comparethe amount of snowfall in Moscow and other European capitals, then we can make an obvious conclusion that it is snowier and colder. Data for this analysis was taken from the World Meteorological Organization. The snow cover of other capitals periodically disappears during the winter months under the influence of natural weather conditions, namely higher temperatures. In the capital of Russia, the snow cover remains almost unchanged throughout the winter.
