Moscow Faces Back-to-Back Flooding as Intense Storms Unleash Record Rainfall

Flooding returned to various parts of Moscow for the second time in a week on Monday, following severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall that hit the Russian capital.

By 9 a.m., a monitoring station at VDNKh park recorded 33% of Moscow’s average monthly precipitation, as noted by meteorologist Yevgeny Tishkovets.

Tishkovets shared on Telegram that “Moscow has now reached its monthly precipitation quota, while the surrounding region has surpassed it,” indicating that the most significant rainfall occurred in the northwestern districts of the city.

Social media videos depicted submerged parking areas, vehicles navigating through waterlogged underpasses, and pedestrians trudging through flooded underground pathways. In several locations, floodwaters eroded soil, spreading debris across the streets.

Rain is forecast to persist throughout the day. The Transportation Department of Moscow advised residents to refrain from driving and to opt for public transport when possible.

A yellow weather warning is active for Moscow and its neighboring areas until 9 p.m. on Monday. Meteorologists have predicted strong winds gusting up to 15 meters per second, along with localized thunderstorms that may produce hail.

Transportation officials warned that flooding could hinder traffic on major highways, including the Moscow Automobile Ring Road and the Third Ring Road.

The floods on Monday were reminiscent of the situation last Tuesday, when torrential rain was reported to have dumped a month’s worth of rainfall on certain city areas in less than two hours.

Climate scientists have long cautioned that Russia, which is warming 2.5 times faster than the global average, is becoming increasingly susceptible to extreme weather phenomena, such as extended heatwaves and heavy rainfall.