Rare Summer Flood Strikes St. Petersburg for First Time Since 1865

On Friday, July 4, the city of St. Petersburg faced a rare and threatening summer flood. Authorities urgently closed the Saint Petersburg Flood Prevention Facility Complex (commonly known as the city dam) as water levels outside the structure rose to 180 centimeters. Some areas not protected by the dam were affected, and meteorologists warn that levels could reach 190 centimeters. According to Alexander Kolesov, St. Petersburg’s chief meteorologist, the flooding was caused by strong westerly winds — a phenomenon unusual for the summer months. Due to the specific path of a cyclone moving over the Gulf of Finland and the Neva Bay, wind gusts throughout Friday were expected to reach 20 to 25 meters per second, pushing massive volumes of water toward the city. “We had to close the flood protection system,” said Kolesov. “But the Neva River and city canals will still see high water levels due to the strong wind. We expect levels to reach around 130–140 centimeters at the Gorny Institute water gauge.” Kolesov noted that this is the first time since 1865 that St. Petersburg has experienced flooding in July — a month typically considered safe from such weather anomalies.