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Blizzards brought by Atlantic cyclone hit Petersburg

Meanwhile, the water level has been rising in the Neva river

ST.PETERSBURG, December 26 (Itar-Tass) —— An Atlantic cyclone has hit St.Petersburg and the Leningrad region on Monday. Last night the cyclone brought a stormy weather to most of the countries on the Baltic coast. By 7.00 am Monday the cyclone had been in the north of Gulf of Bothnia, but its "breath" already told on the territory of the Leningrad region and St.Petersburg.

Meanwhile, the water level has been rising in the Neva river. The wind force blowing from the southwest has grown to 18-21 meters per second in the area of the Gulf of Finland, chief of the St. Petersburg weather service Alexander Kolesov told Itar-Tass. "The cyclone will remain on our territory throughout the day," Kolesov said.

A threat of another flood in St. Petersburg with an expected water level of more than two meters remained until the dyke was closed on Monday morning. Throughout the day the wind force on the territory of the Leningrad region and St.Petersburg will be 15-20 meters per second and it might even grow to 24 meters per second in coastal areas. The winds are expected to subside by Monday night, but early on Tuesday another cyclone will approach which will bring stronger winds and floods more than two meters high.

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