Up to minus 20 degrees in Austria: experts fear a drastic onset of winter

At the weekend, winter in Austria starts again. Up to minus 20 degrees are possible on the weekend – despite plus temperatures before the weekend.

Vienna – On Thursday and Friday people in Austria might get the idea that spring is coming. However, the temperatures will cool down again at the weekend – and the snow will also return.

Another onset of winter is imminent in Austria

At the end of November and December 2023, people in Austria and Germany got a taste of winter. Some had even hoped for a white Christmas, but that only happened in a few places. Now winter is coming back to Austria. “The mild weather is coming to an end. Over the course of the weekend it will get significantly colder and snow will fall down to low altitudes,” said meteorologist Clemens Biermair on Wednesday.

It doesn't look like it will be cold on Thursday and Friday at the weekend – plus temperatures give a foretaste of spring. The meteorologist even predicts snow at the weekend: “The details are still uncertain, but from the current perspective it will be white in most of Austria on Sunday and Sunday will bring an ice day in many regions with temperatures below zero degrees all day.” So only degrees are plus possible in the south of Austria.

Snowfall and frost on Sunday: up to minus 20 degrees possible

Snowfall will occur in some parts of Austria as early as Thursday. Then strong westerly currents bring a rapid change of sun, clouds and short showers to the country. Snow will then fall to around 1200 to 900 meters. The cold weather from the weekend can be seen on Friday. The cloud cover becomes increasingly dense as the day progresses, and in Tyrol and Vorarlberg it may rain lightly in the evening.

The first snowfalls are expected to fall in the valleys on Saturday, and even in the lowlands in the north and east. On Sunday it will snow across the country and it will also be cold. Meteorologist Clemens Biermair speaks of maximum daily temperatures of minus six to plus one degrees. The lowest temperatures are expected to be down to minus seven degrees in Vienna and up to minus 15 degrees in Salzburg. In some classic cold places such as Lungau and Murtal, temperatures of minus 20 degrees can even be expected today.at reports. In Scandinavia it is currently even minus 40 degrees. (rd with apa)