Take care on the roads

Heavy snowfall threatens in these regions

(Bild: APA/dpa/Ralf Hirschberger)

Winter will show its intense side in Austria from Wednesday. Heavy snowfall is expected. The regions along the main Alpine ridge in Salzburg, Upper Austria, Lower Austria and Styria are particularly affected. The severe weather center has already issued a warning.

Meteorologists are forecasting up to 15 centimetres of fresh snow, and even more could fall in congested areas. The snow line varies greatly: while snowfall can be expected at low altitudes in the east of the country, it is around 700 meters above sea level in the west. Even the capital city of Vienna is not expected to be spared from the snowfall.

This time, however, it is actually real snowflakes and not the so-called industrial snow that caused temporary wintry conditions in parts of Vienna at the turn of the year. The first flakes fell in the morning (see photo). 

The Viennese were surprised by a thin layer of snow in Heiligenstadt in the early hours of the morning.

(Bild: Christine Steinmetz)

Yellow warning level and caution on roads
A yellow snow warning was issued for parts of the country, especially south-western Lower Austria and northern Styria, but also Upper Austria. Drivers should be particularly careful, as snow drifts may occur at higher altitudes in combination with northerly winds. Disruptions to road and rail traffic are to be expected.

Improving weather towards the weekend
After the snowy Wednesday, the weather is set to improve significantly. Thursday will bring mostly sunny weather in the west and south, while in the eastern half of the country there will initially be residual clouds that will clear as the day progresses. Temperatures will remain wintry, between minus 2 and plus 5 degrees during the day. 

An area of high pressure will bring plenty of sunshine, especially in the mountains. In the Lake Constance region and over the lowlands of the north, east and south-east, however, there will be a few patches of low and high fog, which will only clear in places as the day progresses. The lowest temperatures will remain between minus 9 and plus 1 degrees. During the day, plus 5 degrees is possible. From Saturday onwards, high pressure will ensure calm and mostly sunny weather.

For all winter fans, the next few days will offer ideal conditions for winter sports activities. However, caution is advised: The fresh masses of snow can increase the risk of avalanches in the mountains. Current warnings and instructions from the local authorities should be heeded at all times.