"In less than 12 hours the city expects 15-20 mm of rainfall, which is almost a third of the monthly norm. The daily maximum precipitation for June 30 is 22.3 mm, it was marked in 1923," Moscow weather services told TASS, adding that the capital hasn't seen a storm like this in 94 years.
Muscovites were awed by apocalyptically overcast skies just before the storm.
Happening now..."This post is for those who forgot their umbrellas at home," one person wrote.
View from the terrace of our penthouse Royal Suite #stormpic.twitter.com/ACdo8nRSvz
— IC Moscow Tverskaya (@icmoscow) June 30, 2017
The winds could reach 24mps, according to the Moscow emergency services, which advised people to stay at home.
Blitzortung.org website, which provides lightning and thunderstorm information in real time, released a map of the Moscow storm online.
Some parts of the city were battered with quite sizeable hail.
Muscovites did not lose their sense of humor in the storm. "It's nice when ice for cocktails is falling from the sky," one person wrote.
One of the hashtags launched was #ливеньвека (#downpourofcentury).
"And this is called 'Summer!'" another person wrote with some bitterness.
После градашквалистого ветра и проливного дождя️.....плывем #ливеньвека#летовмоскве #потоп#ветхозаветныйпотоп#всекакобещали#30июня#лето#катаклизм#summer2017 #июньпрощайAt least eight passenger planes which were due to arrive in Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo airports, had to land in Domodedovo airport which was the least affected by the storm, an official from State ATM Corporation, an air navigation service, told RIA Novosti. Two more planes had to divert to St. Petersburg and Kazan, the official added.
A post shared by @irena.moscu on Jun 30, 2017 at 6:47am PDT
Around 4,400 people were left without power in Moscow and Moscow Region on Friday, the Energy Ministry said in a statement.
With streets flooded across the city, a video emerged apparently showing a Moscow man tackling the waters in his inflatable boat. He was wearing fishing gear and even took his fishing rod with him, apparently hoping for a catch.
Comment: Just over a month ago Moscow was hit by the worst storm in living memory, and probably the worst since the 19th century. See also:
Updates: Worst ever natural disaster: Death toll from Moscow storm rises to 16 (VIDEOS)