Record-Breaking Snowfall Blankets Perm and Sverdlovsk Regions in Late April

On April 29, 2025, the Perm and Sverdlovsk regions of Russia experienced an extraordinary late-spring snowfall, with Perm witnessing its heaviest snowstorm of the 21st century.​

According to the Perm Center for Geographic Information Systems (GIS Center), over 30 centimeters of snow fell within 24 hours, amounting to approximately 88% of the region's typical monthly precipitation. In some areas, snow depths reached up to 37 centimeters.

The severe weather conditions led to significant disruptions. Perm Airport was temporarily closed due to poor visibility, and transportation networks across the region were affected. In Yekaterinburg, the capital of the Sverdlovsk region, residents faced strong winds and snowfall, with storm totals reaching 2 to 4 centimeters.

Meteorologists are conducting further studies to determine if this snowfall sets a new historical record for the region. The unexpected return of winter-like conditions in late April has raised concerns about the impact of climate anomalies on infrastructure and daily life.

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Perm (previously known as Yagoshikha (Ягошиха; 1723–1781) and Molotov (Молотов; 1940–1957), is the administrative centre of Perm Krai in the European part of Russia. It sits on the banks of the Kama River near the Ural Mountains, covering an area of 799.68 square kilometres (308.76 square miles). With over one million residents Perm is the 15th-largest city in Russia and the 5th-largest in the Volga Federal District.