Heavy snow hits Moscow

People walk along Manezh Square during a heavy snowfall in central Moscow, Nov 29, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

MOSCOW - The Russian capital Moscow is experiencing the largest snowfall of this winter since Wednesday, and is expected to see the biggest November snowfall in 50 years, local meteorological office said on Thursday.

According to the office, Moscow has received one third of the snowfall generally experienced in November in the last 24 hours.

Cumulative snowfall reached 20 centimeters in parts of the city in the 24-hour period through Wednesday afternoon. And the snowstorm is expected to continue until Friday morning, according to the latest weather forecast.

A total of 55 centimeters of snow was expected to fall, which would be the biggest snowfall in 50 years, said the weather forecast.

The municipal government deployed some 12,000 snowplows and 7,000 professional cleaners on Thursday to clear snow from major streets. However, continuous heavy snowfall has made such efforts largely ineffective, one of the cleaners told Xinhua.

The snowstorm disrupted city traffic, with 20 percent more traffic accidents reported than usual, according to the municipal authorities.

With temperatures expected to rise through Thursday night, the snow could turn into freezing rains and make the roads even more dangerous for drivers, the authorities warned, urging local residents to stay at home or use public transportation instead.

And according to local media reports, some 70 flights have been disrupted at Moscow's Domodedovo airport since Wednesday, though all three airports in the city were still in normal operation on Thursday.

Honour guards march at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin wall during a heavy snowfall in central Moscow, Nov 29, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]