In the industrial city of Norilsk in Siberia's Krasnoyarsk region, which sits above the Arctic Circle, visibility dropped to zero and buses, planes and ships were canceled or rerouted as a snowstorm raged on Tuesday, reaching speeds of 25 meters per second. The city's emergency services stayed on high alert as a holiday was declared for children and mobile heating stations were set up.
Here's a look at the storm, as captured by residents on social media.
Driving was a challenge, but walking was near impossible.
Snow piled up so high that grown adults risked getting buried.
Street lamps and safety lights were crucial as visibility dropped.
Enough snow to hide a car behind.
The day after the storm, locals had the unenviable task of clearing their cars.
Amid the chaos, families and children found time to enjoy the huge mounds of snow.
"When I was your age, I had to walk to school in snow up to here..."
Emergency services had their work cut out for them as people and vehicles failed to brace the storm.
The next day, the real work began.