SHARE
COPY LINK

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. 

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

WEATHER

Electrical storms end heatwave as Austria set for one of warmest years on record

More records were broken on Wednesday night and Thursday morning as violent storms ended Austria’s latest heatwave – one which scientists say is putting the country on pace for one of its hottest-ever years.

Electrical storms end heatwave as Austria set for one of warmest years on record

As the summer weather ended, Vienna had its most active night of lightning since August 2021.

Meanwhile, Langenlois in Lower Austria saw record rainfall, while fire brigades in Lower Austria were sent out to 90 separate calls. Fire crews worked to pump out water to prevent flooding as streams overflowed their banks, and to remove downed trees from roads. Some areas were pounded with hail.

2023 on track to be one of the warmest on Austrian records

As the storms end the recent September heatwave, Geosphere Austria climatologists say this month will already record average temperatures that are above normal. With that, there’s a good chance 2023 will end up being one of the warmest since records started being kept in Austria 256 years ago.

All that’s needed is for October, November, and December temperatures to remain at the same level we’ve seen for the last three years, a fairly probable event, according to the Geosphere Austria experts.

Even if the weather in the last three months of the year turns cooler than normal, there’s been enough summer heat that 2023 will probably still make the top five of warmest years ever recorded in Austria.

Most of the 25 hottest years recorded in Austria have been seen in recent decades.

READ ALSO: Austria ‘dangerously unprepared’ for increase in temperatures due to climate change

SHOW COMMENTS