Minsk Hit by Heavy Snowfall: Cyclone Tizian Brings Blizzards and Major Cleanup

The capital of Belarus experienced the most intense snowfalls since the beginning of the winter season. Over 12 nighttime hours, 10 mm of precipitation fell in Minsk, which corresponds to heavy snowfall. The snow cover height in the city reached 18 centimeters.

Cyclone Tizian brought blizzards and reduced visibility

Nighttime snowfalls affected most of the country, with the exception of the southwestern regions. Weather conditions were shaped by the influence of an active warm front of cyclone Tizian. Visibility on roads in some areas dropped to 400–800 meters, significantly complicating traffic conditions. The maximum snow cover height was recorded in Pleshchenitsy, where snowdrifts reached 23 centimeters.

Warming and a change in precipitation during the day

During daylight hours, the intensity of snowfall will begin to decrease, with the zone of heavy snow shifting eastward. In most parts of Belarus, intermittent snow and wet snow, as well as light drifting snow, are expected. Icy conditions will persist on roads. A warming trend will follow the cyclone’s warm front — air temperatures will range from +2 to −4 °C, and around 0…+1 °C in the western half of the country. In Minsk, temperatures of 0…−2 °C are forecast, with intermittent snowfall and light drifting snow.

Large-scale snow removal: more than 200 units of equipment deployed in the Minsk region

Municipal services of the Minsk region began clearing areas of snowdrifts early in the morning. At present, 220 units of specialized equipment and 206 personnel are in operation, the Minsk Regional Housing and Utilities Service reports. A total of 1,307 kilometers of roads and 54 thousand square meters of sidewalks have already been cleared and treated. To combat icy conditions, 940 tons of de-icing materials have been used.

More than 1,550 street cleaners deployed in the capital

Minsk municipal services have switched to an enhanced work mode. Snow removal and area treatment involve 123 units of equipment and 1,552 street cleaners. Housing and utilities enterprises continuously monitor the situation to maintain order in their assigned areas.

Distribution points for snow removal equipment organized

Due to the ongoing snowfall, distribution points for snow removal tools have been organized in all districts of the Minsk region. Residents can contact their local housing and utilities organization to obtain shovels and other snow removal equipment. Addresses and operating hours of the distribution points can be уточнены on the official websites of housing and utilities enterprises, in Viber chats and Telegram channels, as well as via information service phone numbers. Municipal workers remind motorists of the need to clear snow around their own vehicles within a radius of at least 1 meter in order not to block roads and courtyard driveways for the passage of specialized equipment.