Snow & power failure

The onset of winter has Styria firmly in its grip

The roads in Eibiswald are currently being cleared.(Bild: Marktgemeinde Eibiswald)

In the middle of April, snow clearing vehicles are suddenly on the road again in Styria! Overnight it snowed down to low altitudes - drivers need to be careful and households without power need to be patient. In Carinthia, too, winter has returned with snowfall down to the valleys.

On Tuesday morning, the commute to work will be difficult for many: an Italian low is currently moving across Styria, causing rain and snowfall. In the districts of Leibnitz and Deutschlandsberg, it snowed down to 300 meters above sea level overnight. A surprising onset of winter after maximum temperatures of over 30 degrees in the first half of April.

Energiesteiermark supplies 3400 Styrian households that are affected by power cuts.(Bild: Energie Steiermark)

To prevent chaos on the roads, Asfinag got its snow clearing vehicles out of the garage again at the beginning of the week. There is currently over 30 centimetres of snow on the notorious Packsattel - as can be seen on the webcams. Snow chains are compulsory on the Turracher Straße (B 95) due to the wintry conditions. The provincial warning center also appeals to all Styrians: "Avoid unnecessary journeys by car and be aware of the dangers of winter road conditions."

View from the snow clearing vehicle on the roads in Eibiswald.(Bild: Marktgemeinde Eibiswald)

There are also impressive pictures from the deep south of Styria: in Eibiswald, a snow clearing vehicle is pushing mountains of snow in front of it. "Some school bus services have been suspended for today," reports Mayor Andreas Thürschweller. Above all, the danger of snow damage should not be underestimated.

There have also been power cuts in the southwest since the early hours of the morning. Around 100 transformer stations and 3400 households are affected. "The emergency services are on site and are working to repair the damage", according to Energie Steiermark. The precipitation should ease during the day and the snow line should rise to 700 to 1000 meters. However, up to 30 centimeters could fall as early as Wednesday night.