Europe, Central Asia: Frequent disruptions due to winter weather likely across Eastern Europe and Central Asia through April 2023

Event

Extreme winter weather events, including heavy snowfall, freezing temperatures, fog, and strong winds, are likely to impact transport and utility services across Eastern Europe and Central Asia during the winter months through at least the end of April 2023. The affected areas include Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova, and Ukraine. Airports in affected regions could experience frequent short-notice disruptions, leading to cancellations, delays, and even a full ground stop. Affected Airports may include:

Armenia

• Zvartnots International Airport (EVN)

• Shirak Airport (LWN)

Azerbaijan

• Heydar Aliyev International Airport (GYD)

• Ganja Airport (KVD)

Belarus

• Minsk National Airport (MSQ)

Georgia

• Shota Rustaveli Tbilisi International Airport (TBS)

• Kutaisi International Airport (KUT)

• Batumi International Airport (BUS)

Kazakhstan

• Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport (TSE)

Kyrgyzstan

• Manas International Airport (FRU), Bishkek

Moldova

• Chisinau International Airport (KIV)

Russia

• Irkutsk Airport (IKT)

• Khabarovsk Novy Airport (KHV)

• Koltsovo Airport (SVX), Yekaterinburg

• Omsk Tsentralny Airport (OMS)

• Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Airport (PKC)

• Tolmachevo Airport (OVB), Novosibirsk

• Tomsk Bogashevo Airport (TOF)

• Vladivostok International Airport (VVO)

• Yakutsk Airport (YKS)

• Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Airport (UUS)

Tajikistan

• Dushanbe International Airport (DYU)

Turkmenistan

• Ashgabat International Airport (ASB)

Ukraine

• Boryspil International Airport (KBP)

• Kharkiv International Airport (HRK)

• Odessa International Airport (ODS)

• Simferopol International Airport (SIP)

Uzbekistan

• Tashkent International Airport (TAS)

Inclement weather can also lead to frequent blockages on arterial roads in the region, including the Trans-Siberian Highway. The scarcity of alternative routes means significant transport disruptions could sometimes occur. Avalanches can lead to protracted road blockages, particularly in mountainous areas such as the Ural-Siberian Mountains. While authorities are experienced in minimizing the potential impact, roads in remote and mountainous regions, such as the Verknhy-Lars Highway between Georgia and Russia, may be disrupted more frequently and for extended periods due to their relative inaccessibility. Extreme temperatures may also increase the potential for vehicle breakdowns. Railways can experience disruptions, leading to the cancellation of services and long delays. In particular, any disruption to the Trans-Siberian Railway will lead to a significantly wider impact due to the lack of alternative routes.

The cold weather can lead to utility disruptions where demand exceeds the capacity of local power supplies, and heavy snow or strong winds can damage utility infrastructure. Although normally affected areas are well equipped to deal with such problems, power outages can last for extended periods, particularly in remote locations.

Advice

Monitor local media for updated weather information. Verify road conditions before driving in areas where heavy snowfall is forecast. Allow extra time to reach destinations in these areas and carry an emergency kit and warm clothes if driving is necessary, especially on secondary or rural routes that could become impassable. Plan accordingly for delivery delays if routing shipments by truck through the affected area. Confirm flights. Charge battery-powered devices in the case of prolonged electricity outages.

Resources

Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (Russian)
Azerbaijan National Hydrometeorological Department (Azerbaijani)
Kazhydromet (Russian)
Uzhydromet (Uzbek)
Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center (Ukrainian)
Belarus Department of Hydrometeorology (Russian)