<p>A record-breaking snowstorm descended on Moscow on Friday, paralysing traffic, grounding flights and straining efforts of local authorities to respond to the "snow apocalypse".</p>.<p>Weather experts predict the record-breaking extreme weather will continue over the weekend with winds reaching speeds of 15-20 metres (50-20 feet) per second and temperatures dropping well below freezing.</p>.<p>On Friday, traffic congestion in the city reached a maximum of 10 points according to the Yandex maps service, unusual even for Moscow notorious for its logjams.</p>.<p>The city's transport department urged Muscovites to drive carefully or switch to public transport to avoid the dangerous road conditions.</p>.<p>Moscow's air traffic was affected too, with close to 30 flights reportedly delayed and five cancelled.</p>.<p>Some Muscovites praised the snowstorm.</p>.<p>"There wasn't enough snow in Moscow but now we at least see that there is winter in the city," 42-year-old Vitaly Perevozchikov told <em>AFP</em> on Friday.</p>.<p>Moscow's deputy mayor for housing and public utilities, Pyotr Biryukov, said that the city would do "everything necessary" to ensure traffic does not build up and the sidewalks are clean.</p>.<p>Efforts to clean the streets will continue round-the-clock, he added.</p>.<p>Biryukov told reporters that over 13,500 snowploughs and 60,000 workers had been deployed to deal with the extreme weather.</p>.<p>Earlier this week, Russia's state weather agency, Rosgidromet told <em>AFP</em> that the depth of snow in the capital could reach or even surpass the record high of 77 centimetres set in March 2013.</p>.<p>Rosgidromet spokeswoman Maria Makarova said the snowstorm was a result of a cyclone sweeping down from the north, first picking up cold air that then mixed with hot air over the Black Sea, before turning back up towards central Russia.</p>.<p>Scientists say that as the surface layer of oceans warm due to climate change, cyclones are becoming more powerful and carry more precipitation.</p>
<p>A record-breaking snowstorm descended on Moscow on Friday, paralysing traffic, grounding flights and straining efforts of local authorities to respond to the "snow apocalypse".</p>.<p>Weather experts predict the record-breaking extreme weather will continue over the weekend with winds reaching speeds of 15-20 metres (50-20 feet) per second and temperatures dropping well below freezing.</p>.<p>On Friday, traffic congestion in the city reached a maximum of 10 points according to the Yandex maps service, unusual even for Moscow notorious for its logjams.</p>.<p>The city's transport department urged Muscovites to drive carefully or switch to public transport to avoid the dangerous road conditions.</p>.<p>Moscow's air traffic was affected too, with close to 30 flights reportedly delayed and five cancelled.</p>.<p>Some Muscovites praised the snowstorm.</p>.<p>"There wasn't enough snow in Moscow but now we at least see that there is winter in the city," 42-year-old Vitaly Perevozchikov told <em>AFP</em> on Friday.</p>.<p>Moscow's deputy mayor for housing and public utilities, Pyotr Biryukov, said that the city would do "everything necessary" to ensure traffic does not build up and the sidewalks are clean.</p>.<p>Efforts to clean the streets will continue round-the-clock, he added.</p>.<p>Biryukov told reporters that over 13,500 snowploughs and 60,000 workers had been deployed to deal with the extreme weather.</p>.<p>Earlier this week, Russia's state weather agency, Rosgidromet told <em>AFP</em> that the depth of snow in the capital could reach or even surpass the record high of 77 centimetres set in March 2013.</p>.<p>Rosgidromet spokeswoman Maria Makarova said the snowstorm was a result of a cyclone sweeping down from the north, first picking up cold air that then mixed with hot air over the Black Sea, before turning back up towards central Russia.</p>.<p>Scientists say that as the surface layer of oceans warm due to climate change, cyclones are becoming more powerful and carry more precipitation.</p>