Sevastopol Submerged in Snow - Southern Resort and Naval City Experiences First Real Winter
During the last day of the calendar winter the cold literally attacked the Crimean peninsula. The strongest snowfall fell on Sevastopol, the roads rose up. The Kerch crossing is again predicted to be closed because of the storm. Meanwhile, not far away, in the mountains of Adygea spring is already in full swing, there streams are murmuring and violets blossom.
Olga Armykova reporting about the surprises of nature throughout the country and an exclusive forecast for March.
Real winter came suddenly as always, in the last days of February real winter came to the southernmost part of Russia. The peninsula has heavy snowfalls and a storm warning has been announced. Behind this white wall Crimean landscapes are not recognizable, in a few hours resort cities were covered with a snow blanket.
"Sevastopol, February 27. A real Russian winter has arrived."
And it immediately began to test our strength. The roads are an ice skating rink Dozens of cars can't move, and are stalling. The whims of the winter weather have practically paralyzed Sevastopol. Drivers are stuck in traffic jams, and passengers are late to work. But Sevastopol residents don't give up easily.
"Let's go, drive, let's go!"
Snowdrift with the sea in the background and blossoming almonds covered in snow. But people are even happy with such radical changes.
"It's already the beginning of March, and winter came here."
"For Sevastopol this is a surprise, of course, but it's nice, and all the kids are happy."
And in the Adygea mountains streams are murmuring and flowers are coming up through the snow, and people are preparing for the summer season.
"We are preparing a new route by the summer season 2018, for the May holidays, the route will be a new extreme one, just for those who visited us before."
But tourists are not expected here yet. The snow should have already melted, but it's still in the mountains and on the streets.
Then what can we expect in the central regions? The last days of February became the coldest in the whole winter. In Moscow thermometer fell to a record -22C (-7.6F), and according to the forecaster this is not the worst.
Evgeniy Tishkovets, Lead Weather Specialist: "According to climate data, March in central Russia is a winter month, and this year it will once again confirm its status. The average temperature will be a whole degree lower than normal anticyclones will have strong positions, and hence the number of clear and sunny days will be greater than usual."
In Eastern Siberia and Ural there are snowfalls and increasing winds, Salekhard, Khanty-Mansiysk, and Tobolsk are also snowed in, where schools are on forced breaks.
Because of strong cold and hurricane winds, in one night Kerch was practically frozen over, cars, roads, trees, and wires froze. The city between the 2 seas was left without power for a few hours. Even the ferry stopped.
"Everything got covered with an icy frosting".
And this is the southern coast of Crimea, glades of snowdrops and violets with mountains in the background. The daffodils are confidently blooming. Spring came even ahead of time to Yalta.
Larisa Komar-Temnaya, Nikitsky Botanic garden: "Chaenomeles are wonderful, common plants, it's called Japanese quince. We can see these flowering shrubs, which of course, bring delight and good mood to people."
However it's not worth waiting by the sea for good weather. Forecasters say that March will be cold. And the real spring warmth will come only in early April.
Olga Armykova, Konstantin Morozov, Nikita Kanchenko, Dmitry Fedorshinko, Veronika Kotkova. Vesti.