Moscow authorities said coming to school was "optional" on Monday as the Russian capital was bracing for more snow and icy weather following the record-breaking snowfall. Some 25 incoming flights were redirected to other Russian cities and over 100 delayed following the weekend storm, which tested even the limits of the famously icy metropolis.

Read more: Storm rips through Moscow streets, many killed

Snow delayed flights on Moscow airports, including the busy Shermetyevo

Freezing rain accompanied by 43 centimeters (17 inches) of snow blanketed the capital within 24 hours. It was the heaviest day of snowfall to hit the Russian capital since the country's weather records began, Russia's meteorological service said. By Monday morning, the blanket of snow thickened to 55 centimeters.

Officials urged Moscow drivers not to take their cars on the streets, in order to ease the job for snow-cleaning crews.

Army deployed to remove snow

Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that the public transport was mostly functioning normally by Monday.

"We had what was already dubbed a 'snowfall of the century,'" he told the press. "Still, there was no collapse or a disaster," he added.

Russian army also deployed troops to help with the relief efforts in Moscow and St. Petersburg areas.

Read more: A winter trip to Moscow

Watch video 00:29 Share Heavy snow in Moscow Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/2s7y7 Watch: Heavy snow in Moscow

Previously, Sobyanin said that one person was killed and five injured due to snow and dangerous conditions.

"One person died from a falling tree that hit an electric power line," Sobyanin posted on his VKontakte social media page. He warned that strong winds were still to come.

Read more: Climate change is happening — but it's not game-over yet

At least 2,000 trees around the city collapsed due to the snow, officials added.

More snow to come

The severe weather also caused massive power outages in hundreds of towns around Moscow, although the power supply was restored by Monday.

Snow cleaning crews were doing double their normal runs through the city, as temperatures were expected to dip to -17 degrees Celsius (+1.4 Fahrenheit) on Monday night.

"In addition to that, there will be more snow," deputy mayor Pyotr Biryukov, told the press. "In the next three days, we will have 6 to 8 centimeters of snow on the Moscow streets."

The weekend snowfall topped the previous record values from 1957 and 2013.

Ice swimming: Russia's chilly tradition Fun in the cold At minus 30 degrees Celsius (minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit), these enthusiasts of winter swimming in Siberia don't seem to mind the cold. Running through the snow, they celebrate the beginning of the winter swimming season in Russia.

Ice swimming: Russia's chilly tradition Brave kids Two-year-old Alisa and seven-year-old Liza have to get used to the tradition of winter swimming. In recent years, more than 30,000 people took the plunge in Moscow.

Ice swimming: Russia's chilly tradition Relaxing in the cold water No, he is not sitting in a hot bath tub, even though he looks just as relaxed. This man in Novosibirsk seems to enjoy the freezing cold. While most people would fear a heart attack caused by the shock, or at least catching a cold, ice swimming devotees are convinced of its rejuvenating properties.

Ice swimming: Russia's chilly tradition Russian 'walruses' Russian ice swimmers call themselves "morzhi," which means walruses. They meet every week at their local Walrus Club to dip into the cold water - without any thermal protection, just in regular summer swimsuits.

Ice swimming: Russia's chilly tradition 'Pricked by a thousand needles' In Novosibirsk, these ice swimmers venture into a water reservoir. One woman reports: "It was like being pricked by a thousand needles at once."

Ice swimming: Russia's chilly tradition Icy Epiphany The most popular form of ice swimming in Russia is religious ice baptism. A cross-shaped hole is cut into the ice. Russian Orthodox Christians celebrate the religious holiday of Epiphany on January 19. According to their tradition, water becomes holy on this day: Believers hope to wash away their sins.

Ice swimming: Russia's chilly tradition Post-Soviet tradition Before the October Revolution of 1917, only a few people would swim in frosty waters regularly. The numbers of ice swimming enthusiasts have only increased after the end of the Soviet Union, when the ritual became very popular. That's when religion made a comeback, although the tradition is not officially endorsed by the Orthodox Church.

Ice swimming: Russia's chilly tradition A dangerous hobby Ice swimming can be extremely dangerous unless you are a very experienced "walrus". Because body heat can be lost 25 times faster in water than in air, more than three minutes spent in the cold water might lead to a loss of consciousness and could even be life-threatening. Author: Nadine Berghausen



dj,rs/msh (AP, AFP, dpa, Interfax)