Central Russia bracing itself for powerful snowy cyclone

Central Russia is bracing itself for a powerful snowy cyclone, one that may prove the most powerful for March in the past half a century, according to weather forecasters. Anomalous snowfalls with gusts of wind are due in the Moscow Region later today.
The peak of bad weather is expected on Friday and Saturday. Up to 25 centimetres of snow may fall summarily. All public utilities in Moscow have been alerted.

But weather has uncorked some unpleasant surprises in other Russian regions, too.

An avalanche has engulfed a small town of Ust-Katav in the Chelyabinsk Region, luckily, without any loss of life. In Voronezh, a powerful snowfall caused numerous road accidents, Rossia-24 reported.