Rain and winds of up to 30 m/s are bearing down on the Kuril Islands: the cyclone will also affect other Far Eastern regions

Storm warning for the Kuril Islands

The Kuril Islands will come under the influence of heavy rain and storm-force winds on October 28 and 29. As Marina Makarova, a leading specialist at Russia's Hydrometcenter, told TASS, wind speeds will initially reach 18–23 meters per second, with the worst weather peaking on October 29 in the northern part of the Kuril chain, where gusts will intensify to 25–30 meters per second.

The cause of the bad weather — a series of cyclones

According to the meteorologist, a series of cyclones is moving across the Far East: cold air masses from the north collide with warmer air over the ocean, and this temperature contrast strengthens the wind and drives intense precipitation. An active Pacific cyclone linked to the former typhoon Champi is approaching the Kurils: it will move along the island chain toward the Bering Sea.

Other Far Eastern regions are also affected

The bad weather will extend beyond the Kurils. In Chukotka, rain with snow, blizzards, and winds of up to 30 meters per second are forecast for October 27–28 along the Bering Sea coast. On Kamchatka, strong gusts will persist until October 29, and on October 28 they may reach 33 meters per second on the southwestern coast.

What has already been done because of the cyclone in Kamchatka

This is not the first blow the cyclone has dealt to the region: Life.ru previously reportedthat on October 22 the authorities of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky canceled classes in all city schools for students of both shifts, and the restrictions were extended to supplementary education institutions as well. In addition, tourist routes in four natural parks were closed in Kamchatka due to the cyclone. As for the Kurils, the new warnings so far concern only the weather forecast for October 28–29; the publication does not report any measures taken on the islands.