Russia’s Kamchatka is under mounds of snow now: What has led to this and what travellers should know |

You must be living under rubbles if you haven’t see the massive snow storm that has hit Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia. The visuals and images that are being shared on social media shows a raw and real side of Mother Nature. Now Kamchatka is the world’s most dramatic and remote destinations, and looks like because of the snow storm, the place has suddenly found itself in the global spotlight. Else Kamchatka’s reputation is of wild, untamed, and remote region. What’s happening here is not normal, it is a record-breaking snowstorm because of which daily life has come to a standstill. Authorities have declared a state of emergency because of the storm.For travellers or armchair explorers, the scenes coming out of eastern Russia look AI-generated, but they aren’t! What we are seeing from past 3-4 days sitting comfortably in our sun-lit spaces are hundreds of houses, society buildings, cars, buried deep under sea of white snow. Their are videos that have gone viral showing Kamchtka residents digging their way out of homes, making tunnels to breath.Where is Kamchtka situated?Kamchatka is situated in Russia’s Far East, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and the Arctic-influenced Sea of Okhotsk. Because of its location, Kamchtka is no stranger for extreme weather and experiences long snowy winters. But what the place is experiencing is not normal. Streets are borrowed in deep snow and flights have been cancelled because snow accumulation has touched historic levels.Let’s understand what’s actually going on in Kamchatka right now?Record-breaking snow Kamchatka is under intense winter storm. The place is experiencing one of the worst snowfall events in decades, in about 60 years. The place has been hit by multiple storms which have piled extraordinary amounts of snow.Let it snow, but not this much!Snow is massive here! You can imagine as cars, streets, even some high-rise buildings are covered under the spell of snow. The snow is deep in in the regional capital Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Reported fatalitiesTill now, the storm has claimed two innocent lives. The public services are severely disturbed, local stores are shut and shops are running low on essentials. But visuals on social media also show some people enjoying the phase by jumping from their building’s balconies in the snow heap below safely and turning the whole situation into a fun event.The reason behind snow storm As per meteorologists, it is happening because of repeated low-pressure cyclones being created over the Sea of Okhotsk. It is funneling moist Pacific air into eastern Russia. These systems have dumped snow relentlessly over Kamchatka. Also Cold Arctic air masses are mingling with these cyclones. It all has created unusually heavy snow amounts of in Kamchatka.What does this mean for travellers?Kamchatka right now is under snow! Airports are facing closures, roads are blocked with feets of deep snow, and there is no basic service. Winter excursions, volcano treks and wildlife tours are all paused. For travellers stuck in the region, the experience has been equal parts awe-inspiring and exhausting. There’s limited mobility and shortages of supplies are turning serious.Despite the all this, Kamchatka is among the most extraordinary places on the planet and a bucket list destination for many adventure seekers. Once conditions are back to normal and snow is gone, the peninsula will again turn into a winter wonderland.When it comes to best time to visit Kamchatka, the period from May to June and July to September are considered the safest. So if you too had Kamchatka on your 2026 travel list, you’ll have to wait a little longer. Keep a tab on local weather news before planning your trip.