"Ice armor" is coming

Black ice warning for large parts of Austria

(Bild: Igor Link - stock.adobe.com)

Although temperatures will be milder on Sunday, there is still a risk of freezing rain - there is a black ice warning for many federal states. Only the south will be largely spared. A millimeter-thick layer of ice is expected in Upper Austria and the Waldviertel. 

Snow will fall in the morning - this will change to freezing rain around midday. "It will be a striking and sometimes dangerous freezing rain situation," warns kachelmannwetter.com. It's not just drivers who need to be on their guard: there could be breaking branches and power cuts. Parks in Vienna should therefore be avoided, another post explains. 

Rain meets supercooled ground
The dense clouds of the warm front will move eastwards over Austria. According to GeoSphere Austria, there will be precipitation along the northern side of the Alps and across the north to the east. The snowfall will change to rain, which could also contain grains of ice. If the rain hits supercooled ground, black ice is inevitable. 

These parts of Austria are particularly affected by black ice: 

The risk of black ice is particularly significant in the Danube region, according to the severe weather center. In the west, you have to watch out for black ice, especially in the morning hours, but the situation will quickly calm down again in the morning. "In the north, on the other hand, it will only start in the morning and the greater Vienna area will also be affected from midday at the latest," it says on uwz.at. 

Ice cover up to five millimetres thick
In Upper Austria and the Waldviertel, a two to five millimeter thick layer of ice is expected by Sunday evening. "This is where the risk of icy conditions is greatest," warns the severe weather center. In the inner Alps, however, the effects will be limited: There will be significantly less precipitation all together, "which will also fall in the form of snow for a long time".