Cyclone "Francis" is heading for the Nizhny Novgorod region: a blizzard is expected.

      08 January 2026 16:24 Society

      A Balkan cyclone named "Francis" is moving toward Central Russia and will bring a powerful snow blizzard to the region within the next 24 hours, leading specialist at the Phobos weather center Evgeny Tishkovets reported.

      According to him, the weather anomaly that earlier dumped up to 60 liters of precipitation per square meter on North Macedonia will reach Nizhny Novgorod Oblast and neighboring regions by Friday, January 9.

      Nizhny Novgorod residents face a sharp deterioration in weather conditions: heavy snowfalls will begin, snowdrifts and ice build-up will appear, and the blizzard will significantly reduce visibility on the roads. Winds will strengthen to storm force — gusts may reach 15 meters per second.

      Air temperatures will fall to −9…−12 degrees, but due to the strong wind it will feel like −19.

      By Friday evening atmospheric pressure will drop sharply to 733 millimeters of mercury, which is 14 units below normal. According to the meteorologist, this value can be called the "baric bottom."

      Several regions will be at the epicenter of the bad weather — Nizhny Novgorod, Tula, Kaluga and Ryazan oblasts, as well as the southern Moscow region. Forecasts indicate that up to 48–53 mm of precipitation may fall in these areas within 24 hours, exceeding the average January monthly norm.

      Earlier it was reported that, due to a possible worsening of road conditions, EMERCOM personnel organized mobile assistance points on two major highways in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast.

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