First snow to cover Moscow by weekend

Weathermen say the first snowfalls will hit Moscow as early as the weekend.

Hardly had Muscovites enjoyed the warmth of an Indian summer than sub-zero temperatures are looming large in Central Russia.

The first frosts are expected during the night with possible lows of minus two degrees, while the first snowfall of the year will hit the capital on Saturday.

Muscovites will also experience periods of snow and sleet with a north-westerly wind of between seven and 18 miles per hour.

The freeze, though, will be short-term and next week the weather is forecast to return to a type more usual for autumn.

The weekend snow will not be the first white surprise on Russia’s territory. Back in late September, wintry weather caught a number of large cities in Russia's Far East and southern Siberia off guard.

In the Chita and Magadan regions, heavy snow and strong winds paralyzed road traffic and left entire districts without electricity. Several small villages were cut off from the rest of the region because of poor visibility on the roads.