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WEATHER

Winter weather set to make a comeback in Austria

Just as thermometers reached double digits, cooler temperatures are about to hit Austria again, and the Alps could see fresh snow over the weekend.

Winter weather set to make a comeback in Austria
The Schoenbrunn Palace is seen during snowfall in Vienna on January 23, 2023. (Photo by Alex HALADA / AFP)

Austrians were ready to embrace spring weather, with temperatures reaching 20C in the last couple of days. However, winter is about to make a comeback at least for now, according to the forecast of Geosphere Austria, the country’s meteorologic institute.

Initially, it will be very mild once again, but from Friday, the weather will become more unsettled and a significant cooling is expected, with rain or snow on the northern side of the Alps. 

Particularly on Monday it will cool down even further and it will be stormy in most parts of the country, the institute said.

READ ALSO: German word of the day: Der Blitzfrühling

Cloudy weekend

Saturday will alternate with sun and a few denser clouds until the evening. Especially in the mountainous and hilly areas, rain showers are to be expected with a snow line around 1,500 metres above sea level.

Early temperatures will range from 2C to 1C, with daytime highs from 11C to 17C.

READ ALSO: Top tips to protect yourself from storms in Austria

From the west, more clouds will move in on Sunday and especially in the mountains there will be some showers, and there could be more rain in the afternoon.

In the evening, clouds will begin to break up in the west. Winds will be light to moderate, and at higher altitudes it will be brisk. Early temperatures will range from 1C to 8C, with daytime highs from 9C to 18C.

Sunny but cold spells on Monday

Clouds will continue to move through on Monday, with sunny spells. On the northern side of the Alps, the clouds will remain mostly dense all day and it will rain or snow, the snow line will drop from initially around 700 metres to low elevations. 

Away from the northern areas, there will be short showers. The wind is set to shift from west to northwest and it could even be stormy. Early temperatures will only reach -1C to 7C, with daily highs of 4C to 13C. Lower temperatures are expected on the northern side of the Alps. The highest temperatures are in the southeast.

READ ALSO: Colds and flu: What to do and say if you get sick in Austria

On Tuesday, the weather calms down a bit, with fewer clouds and storms. However, on the northern side of the Alps, dense clouds will persist and it will still snow at times. Away from the mountains, short showers will continue with some bursts of sunshine.

The snow line will be at low altitudes, in the west it will gradually rise to around 400 metres in the afternoon. Early temperatures of -6C to 0C and daytime highs of 4C to 8C are expected. 

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WEATHER

‘Achtung… Gefahr’: What do Austria’s weather warnings actually mean?

Austria's national weather agency issues warnings for potentially dangerous weather on a scale from yellow to red. But what does the weather alert system mean, and what should you do if there's a warning?

'Achtung... Gefahr': What do Austria's weather warnings actually mean?

As Austria gets more affected by global warming, the frequency of extreme weather increases. 

Austria has an advanced system of warnings led by the country’s Meteorological Service GeoSphere Austria. “Our regular verification shows a high level of accuracy in the warnings. This is very important for the acceptance and behaviour of the population,” said Dr Andreas Schaffhauser, Scientific Director General of GeoSphere Austria. 

He added: “The better and more comprehensible warnings of major weather events are, the more seriously they are taken and the greater the chance that people will respond to them.”

Austria follows a traditional weather warning system consisting of three colours: yellow, orange, and red.

READ ALSO: How prepared is Austria for extreme weather events?

A yellow warning means caution (Vorsicht!). It means that caution in the current weather scenario is urged, but only isolated weather-connected endangerment and/or damages are anticipated.

An orange warning means attention (Achtung!!), as the current weather scenario can lead to endangerment, disturbances in everyday life and damages. People should pay close heed to the ongoing weather forecasts.

Finally, a red warning means danger (Gefahr!!!). In this case, the current weather scenario is expected to lead to extensive endangerment, disturbances of everyday life and/or considerable damage. People should pay close heed to the ongoing weather forecasts and comply with the instructions of the Civil Defence. 

Each warning is usually issued for one or more weather conditions such as wind, rain, snow, black ice, thunderstorm, heat stress and cold stress.

READ ALSO: What is Austria’s official emergency-warning phone app, and do I need it?

Avalanche risk

The European Union has an online tool to check the dangers of avalanches, the European Avalanche Warning Services. You can zoom in and click on the province where you are travelling to get more information, or just check using the links below:

There are no high mountains with a risk of avalanches in large parts of Upper Austria, Lower Austria, and the entire provinces of Burgenland and Vienna.

There are five danger levels in Austria: 1 – low (green), 2 – moderate (yellow), 3 – considerable (orange), 4 – high (red) and 5 – very high (red and black). These colours are also used to mark avalanche risk in loco, so if you see an avalanche sign in orange, for example, it indicates a considerable risk in that area. 

READ ALSO: Avalanches in Austria: What you should know to stay safe in the mountains

Danger level 5 is rarely forecasted, while danger level 3 is forecasted for around 30 percent of the winter season. Approximately 50 percent of avalanche fatalities happen while the level is “considerable”.

Warning systems

In case of more severe or sudden alerts, Austria also has emergency systems in place. For example, the country’s civil defence alarm has nationwide warning siren systems.

Different sounds mean different things: 

  • TESTING (15 seconds continuous tone): A quick continuous tone to test whether sirens work correctly.

What to do: don’t panic; this is only a test. You can check ORF on radio, TV or online to confirm this.

  • WARNING (3 minutes continuous tone): A constant continuous tone with a length of 3 minutes means “warning”. This signal is triggered when the population is warned of approaching danger.

What to do: Switch on radio or TV on public broadcaster ORF, or check www.orf.at and follow the rules of conduct.

  • ALARM (1 minute rising and falling wailing tone): An ascending and descending wailing tone of at least 1 minute duration means “alarm” and alerts that the danger is imminent.

What to do: Switch on radio or TV on public broadcaster ORF, or check www.orf.at and follow the rules of conduct. Look for protective areas or rooms.

  • ALL CLEAR (1-minute continuous tone): A constant continuous tone of 1 minute (only after the alarm signal) means “all clear”, i.e. end of danger.

What to do: Continue to pay attention to the announcements on the radio, TV or ORF online, as there may be certain temporary restrictions.

READ MORE: Austria’s civil defence alarm: What you should know about the warning siren system

The Ministry of the Interior’s official smartphone app, KATWARN, is a system that displays information and warnings from various authorities on a location-based or topic related to smartphones.

The app complements the existing warning options such as sirens, loudspeakers and media broadcasts. The advantage is that it can immediately warn people of any significant events, informing them of the danger and, just as important, giving immediate information on how to behave.

If you live in Vienna or go there often, the official Stadt Wien app is very useful. It brings essential news and pushes notifications on traffic disruptions near you, weather alerts or civil emergencies.

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