Severe Weather

The weather here has been, to put it mildly, extreme.  It has been snowing non-stop since last Tuesday. This is the biggest accumulation Kyiv has seen since 1930.   I am managing to get Gio to school each day (they have never called his school off for snow....only for Eurocup soccer matches!) but I am choosing more often to take him on the metro and sled rather than the car.  It is just too hard to find a place to park, and the road to Gio's school is frightening to drive up.  We are just hoping things calm down before we start our drive next week to Italy.  And, yes, we are finally getting proper snow tires for our car on Saturday.  Better late than never, right??

Enzo is probably the happiest resident of Kyiv right now! He was made for these conditions.

Most mornings we ride the metro and then I pull Gio the rest of the way to school on his sled. 

Sigh. And winter has not even officially begun!

Okay, so this has nothing to do with the weather, but I love to watch these two at play. Enzo is the most patient dog alive. We are rewarding his good behavior with lots of extra kitten-free time out in the snow.

This is an alert we received today....

Worldcue^® Alert

Severity: Warning Alert

Environment: Record snowfall prompts state of emergency in Kyiv, Ukraine, Dec. 12. Numerous towns without power. Expect severe transport disruptions.

This alert affects Ukraine

This alert began 12 Dec 2012 11:51 GMT and is scheduled to expire 14 Dec 2012 23:59 GMT.

• Incident: Severe winter weather
• Date: Dec. 12
• Location: Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Vinnytsya, Kirovohrad and Cherkasy Provinces
• Impact: Power outages; transport delays; flight disruptions

Summary

Record snowfall that occurred during the night of Dec. 11-12 is causing significant disruptions in central Ukraine. Severe winter weather has rendered numerous roads impassible and left over 570 towns and villages in Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Vinnytsya, Kirovohrad and Cherkasy Provinces without power. 

Authorities in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv declared a state of emergency early Dec. 12 as the city saw its heaviest accumulation since 1930. An automobile parking ban has been put into effect in the downtown area as crews from the Ministry of Emergency Situations work to clear the city's roadways. At least 1500 soldiers from Kyiv's military garrison have also been deployed to assist with snow removal. Downed trees are complicating snow removal efforts in some areas. Public transportation, including buses and trams, is experiencing major delays. Many of the taxis that are operating are reportedly demanding double the usual fares. Kyiv-Zhulhany (IEV) and Kyiv-Boryspil (KBP) airports are open and operating with some flight delays and cancellations.

Meteorologists expect the snowfall to continue through at least the end of Dec. 12, with temperatures dropping further and winds increasing to about 25 kph (15.5 mph) during the second half of the day. Authorities advise that the afternoon weather conditions will bring a greater potential for downed trees and electrical lines, likely producing additional power outages and transport disruptions in the affected area.

Advice

Confirm all flight, rail, and rental car reservations. Do not check out of hotel rooms until onward transportation is confirmed. Allow additional time to reach destinations. If you cannot defer driving, ensure routes are clear before setting out. Equip your vehicle with emergency supplies, including non-perishable food, water, blankets, snow chains, and a shovel, and keep your mobile devices well charged.