Record-breaking snowfall in Russia; extreme snow buries towns in Kamchatka
Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula faces record-breaking snowfall in early 2026, burying towns under massive drifts up to 40 feet high and prompting emergency declarations. This extreme weather has stranded residents, blocked roads, and caused fatalities from rooftop avalanches.
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the regional capital, received 163 mm of snow from January 1-16, 2026, with depths exceeding 170 cm in places and up to 250 cm in others, following 370 mm in December 2025. Snow accumulation has reached over 2 meters in early January alone, marking the heaviest in 60 to 146 years depending on reports.
Authorities shut schools, businesses, and flights, forcing remote work amid power outages and supply shortages of essentials like bread and milk. Vehicles and building entrances lie buried, with residents digging paths through drifts; at least two deaths occurred from snow slides. Mayor Yevgeny Belyayev declared a citywide emergency on January 15, criticizing delayed rooftop clearing.
Multiple low-pressure systems over the Sea of Okhotsk generated strong winds and relentless snowfall, surpassing historical norms in this volcanic region. Kamchatka’s far-eastern location amplifies such events, though this storm exceeds prior records.
