Severe Cold is about to strike Europe - 1st week of Feb 2012

[johnno]

The way I am reading the models last few days and especially past few runs in particular EC and GFS is an incredible Cold event which may unfold over the coming 5-10 days over Europe especially Central and Eastern Europe, what the models are forecasting is something we have rarely seen in modern times over Europe except perhaps Dec 2010.. An Extreme cold wave is set to move in from the East from Russia and extend to Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania early to mid next week, then extend further West to affect.. Austria, Germany, The Balkan states, Switzerland, most of Italy especially Central and Northern parts, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, France by late next week and through onto parts of Spain and SE England onto the weekend.
This Coldwave or coldsnap looks to be one of the strongest to hit Europe in modern times especially through Central and Eastern areas, some models have tempertures as cold if not Colder than Greenland later next week in parts of Europe and up to 15 to even 20c below average for early February in parts! But generally 7-13c seems to be the common theme, there could be hundreds of deaths from this Coldwave and I am not normally one to exgerate but extreme weather events like this so Europeans need to keep as warm as possible if they can. Something to keep an eye on and no doubt this will be making the news even down here in a weeks time if the models are right

[Rivergirl]

Thanks johnno. Have just let my friends know that have moved to Switzerland to live.

[johnno]

Check this out Robyn and Others (I've already saw EC this morning) but this is GFS version o9f the up and coming Cold with temps up to 40F+ below normal in parts!!

Hopefully it works and you get the animated version and see the Cold coming in from the East from Russia invading preety much all of Europe with the most extreme and severe over Central and Eastern Europe

http://policlimate.com/weather/current/ ... eur_f.html

Press the "FWD" Button on the right then you can press the speed of Faster and slower to look at it whatever speed you like

[eegs]

Excellent. Next week I fly to Manilla and then onto Berlin a couple of days later. Tshirts and thermals in the one trip!

[droughtbreaker]

Huge stationary Siberian ridge (approx 1060hpa central pressure) seems to be causing it. I am certainly no expert on non Australian weather but there appears to be a stand off happening there. Almost makes you glad to live where you do. (Nice temperate week ahead for us!).

[Rivergirl]

Thanks johnno. I didn't see the animated version but it sure looks cold. Enjoy the extremes eegs!

[johnno]

No worries Robyn, already the Italian media are saying it may be the coldest wave of weather in Central and Eastern parts of Europe thats coming since 1956

[johnno]

EC pushing in the Extreme Severe Cold, Snow & bad weather in general right through France and into Great Britain this morning by next Weekend

[johnno]

Great Britain have already issued a stage 2 Cold weather alert for the next few days and there not even in the thick of it yet with Eastern Europe to be hit the worse first off

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/ ... theralert/

[nafets]

Freezing! What actual temperatures would you expect for daytime maximums?

[norfolk]

From an Italian website:

Next week will open with very cold weather already in the North, in terms of extent and intensity this cold will develop further by the second part of the week. Between Thursday and next weekend, very cold air, which is already over Scandinavia, Russia and the Balkans, will spread all over Italy but with the most intense cold in the North and the Middle Adriatic.

However I think the intense cold will just be to the north of Italy

Zurich by Thursday is expected to be -8to-5
Vienna is expected to be -10to-7
Warsaw is expected to be -15to-10(on Tuesday) could get colder later in the week
Moscow is expected to be -20to-17 (on Tuesday) could get colder later in the week
Belgrade is expected to be -10to-2 by Thursday

So not sure how cold this is compared to wat happened 50 years ago or so, but still quite cold!

[Geoff]

Freezing! What actual temperatures would you expect for daytime maximums?

Coming from southern England as I do, I've experienced quite a few Siberian blasts in my time. Being closest to the European mainland, southern England can get the coldest temperatures with this set up. I can recall some very severe winters back in the 70's and 80's where an easterly wind coming directly from Russia would mean maximum temps stay below freezing all day, as low as -3 to -5 as a top temp, even with sunny skies. Of course minimums could get down to -10 or lower!
With the Siberian High taking up residence over eastern Europe at possibly 1065mb, it can stay there for weeks, this could get quite nasty very quickly!

[norfolk]

snow will be falling in rome by the end of the week with temps in milan and turin down to -12 and Rome having a maximum of -1 by sat!

[Rhys_34]

Tony the Class Meteo site has the coldest max temp in Rome over the next week as 6C, which site are you looking at to get a -1C max?

[daviescr]

And so it begins.... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16786877

[norfolk]

Tony the Class Meteo site has the coldest max temp in Rome over the next week as 6C, which site are you looking at to get a -1C max?

It is still being reported here http://www.ilmeteo.it/meteo/Roma that Rome will be -1 they are saying sat -6to1, sun -6to0 and monday -10to-1 however who knows how accurate this is!

[johnno]

Already hearing reports of 30 deaths in Poland, 10 in Italy & 3 in Serbia due to the cold and snow.. And there the countries I have heard about so far & the cold/weather is expected to get alot worse in the coming days.

Also heard on the Italian news its expected to get as low as -16c in Turin! -10c in Milan & -7 in Genoa on Saturday.. Remembering that Genoa is a Port City so thats very cold

[johnno]

Heres one article..

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/weath ... 1qq4n.html

And the worst is yet to come

[norfolk]

I have also seen that possibly down to -20 in cities such as Alessandria and Asti which are near Turin. Might see some frozen canals in venice!

[johnno]

Unreal Tony!

The Toll starting to rise already.. 60 offically dead in Europe due to the Coldsnap

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/bre ... ing32.html