The forecaster reported a possible complete freezing of the Gulf of Finland for the first time in 15 years.

The Gulf of Finland may be completely covered with ice for the first time in the last 15 years. This was announced on February 13 by the chief forecaster of St. Petersburg, Alexander Kolesov, by publishing a satellite image of the water area.

"The frosty weather of the last month and a half has allowed the ice on the Gulf of Finland to move far to the west. <...> The ice cover of the bay can be estimated at 80%, and the fact that there will be frosty weather for a long time ahead may lead to complete coverage of the water area," he wrote on the Telegram channel.

Kolesov noted that such a volume of ice has not been observed in recent relatively warm winters. The eastern part of the bay was completely frozen, but the ice did not leave to the west due to the higher temperatures.

At the same time, the forecaster warned that the strengthening of the north-easterly wind due to the cyclone passing to the south is beginning to break and stretch the ice, which is clearly visible in the pictures. However, according to his forecasts, frosts will persist, which will allow the water area to freeze completely for the first time since 2011.

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On the same day, Dmitry Kiktev, Deputy director of the Hydrometeorological Center of Russia, told Izvestia that the weather in Moscow would be changeable in the coming days. On Friday and Saturday, the snow will melt, but on Sunday night the temperature will drop sharply. Snow is expected on the night of February 15, the temperature in Moscow will range from -8...-10 degrees, and in the region -8...-13 degrees. The wind will change from the south to the northwest, and light snow will fall in some places during the day.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.