From:
http://www.meto.gov.uk/cgi-bin/newsi...och=1137580898

8 die in Moscow Arctic freeze

18 Jan 2006

At least eight people have died in Moscow after Arctic winds from
Siberia hit western Russia.

Temperatures dipped as low as minus 36 degrees Celcius, the lowest
temperatures in the country since 1947.

Six people drowned in the Volga region when ice broke under their
minibus that was crossing a river.

An additional two people reportedly died of hypothermia and 14 more
were hospitalised following overexposure to the cold.

Forecasters in Russia have predicted that the current cold front will
mean that temperatures will remain at or below present levels until the end
of the week.

The Interfax news agency reports that over 100 people have died from
exposure to the cold in Moscow since October 2005.

=====

Odd report; only 2 of the 8 died in Moscow itself, the others in the
'Volga region' in an incident which could have happened regardless of the
current weather. What the report only briefly mentions at the end is the
huge numbers (of drunks) that die during the Moscow winter _every_ year.
What's newsworthy is that only 2 have died in the current cold spell.
Perhaps the city authority's warnings about heavy drinking during the cold
blast has sunk in.

When I was there (1995-1996) the annual thaw would reveal a host of
nasties (litter, condoms, broken bottles, turds, dead dogs...) which had
accumulated over the winter and been covered by successive snowfalls. Still,
the authorities do a miraculous job (considering the meagre budget) of
keeping the infrastructure going. Be thankful we don't have such harsh
conditions here -- we'd be utterly useless at coping with it!


--
Simon

Simon Bennett wrote in
message .. .
From:

http://www.meto.gov.uk/cgi-bin/newsi...och=1137580898

8 die in Moscow Arctic freeze

18 Jan 2006

At least eight people have died in Moscow after Arctic winds
from
Siberia hit western Russia.

Temperatures dipped as low as minus 36 degrees Celcius, the
lowest
temperatures in the country since 1947.

Six people drowned in the Volga region when ice broke under
their
minibus that was crossing a river.

snip....


Odd report; only 2 of the 8 died in Moscow itself, the others in the
'Volga region' in an incident which could have happened regardless of
the
current weather.

Crossing a river in a minibus?? Strikes me as odd even when the river
was iced over! Very unlikely indeed to have happened if the river
WEREN'T iced over though :-)

--
Holly, in France,
Holiday Home in Dordogne, now with pool!
http://la-plaine.chez-alice.fr/index.htm

Unless I am very much mistaken Moscow hit -40 on several occasions in the
past ,notably 1987 and possibly since ,can anybody confirm that please
?,Maybe Ian Curry ?

RonB


"Holly, in France" wrote in message
...


Simon Bennett wrote in
message .. .
From:

http://www.meto.gov.uk/cgi-bin/newsi...och=1137580898

8 die in Moscow Arctic freeze

18 Jan 2006

At least eight people have died in Moscow after Arctic winds
from
Siberia hit western Russia.

Temperatures dipped as low as minus 36 degrees Celcius, the
lowest
temperatures in the country since 1947.

Six people drowned in the Volga region when ice broke under
their
minibus that was crossing a river.

snip....


Odd report; only 2 of the 8 died in Moscow itself, the others in the
'Volga region' in an incident which could have happened regardless of
the
current weather.

Crossing a river in a minibus?? Strikes me as odd even when the river
was iced over! Very unlikely indeed to have happened if the river
WEREN'T iced over though :-)

--
Holly, in France,
Holiday Home in Dordogne, now with pool!
http://la-plaine.chez-alice.fr/index.htm

In article ,
Ron Button writes:
Unless I am very much mistaken Moscow hit -40 on several occasions in the
past ,notably 1987 and possibly since ,can anybody confirm that please
?,Maybe Ian Curry ?

This site gives the lowest ever minimum as -33F:

http://www.colby.edu/sts/st215/proje...ations/moscow/

I don't know where they got their data. I make -33F to be -36C. If
that's correct, Moscow has never reached -40C.

I generally keep an eye on 12:00 GMT temperatures as given in the
weather report in the newspaper, ands at that time of day don't recall
noticing anything as cold as -40C. Of course, that would be something
like 3pm local time, so closer to the daily maximum that to the daily
minimum.
--
John Hall

"I am not young enough to know everything."
Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)

"Ron Button" wrote in message
...
Unless I am very much mistaken Moscow hit -40 on several occasions in the
past ,notably 1987 and possibly since ,can anybody confirm that please
?,Maybe Ian Curry ?

I recall in late December 1979 the Sunday Telegraph showing a lunchtime
temperature in Moscow of -27F which equates to -33C.Presumably the nightime
temp. was lower.

"Equatorial fetch" Equatorial wrote in message
...

"Ron Button" wrote in message
...
Unless I am very much mistaken Moscow hit -40 on several occasions in
the
past ,notably 1987 and possibly since ,can anybody confirm that please
?,Maybe Ian Curry ?

I recall in late December 1979 the Sunday Telegraph showing a lunchtime
temperature in Moscow of -27F which equates to -33C.Presumably the
nightime
temp. was lower.

That should be 1978!!!