Snow, ice to create hazardous travel conditions in southeast Europe into Monday

By Eric Leister, Meteorologist

January 3,2016; 7:33PM,EST

 

 

Following a mild December, the first shot of frigid air will continue to bring a winter storm across parts of the Balkan Peninsula into Monday. Snow and ice could cause major travel delays.
Prior to the storm, the coldest air since last winter settled across much of the Balkan Peninsula. This cold air will result in most of the precipitation falling as snow or a wintry mix away from the Adriatic and Mediterranean seas.

Along the Adriatic coast showers will remain on Monday, but the risk for heavy rain will diminish. Rainfall totals from over the weekend and into Monday will generally average 25-50 mm (1-2 inches) with some areas seeing more than 75 mm (3 inches) of rain.
From the Dinaric Alps eastward the cold air will result in the first widespread accumulating snowfall since last winter from Sarajevo to Belgrade and Bucharest.

The winter storm will wind down by Monday across the western Balkan Peninsula, but will continue into Monday morning in eastern Bulgaria and Romania.
On Monday, areas from southern Romania into Bulgaria will see 2-8 cm (1-3 inches) of snow. A core area of 8-15 cm (3-6 inches) of additional snow will fall in eastern Bulgaria.
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Snow will fall as far south as the mountains of northern Greece, while rain falls over the lower elevations.
A second storm will bring additional precipitation to the Balkans on Tuesday, spreading another round of snow from central and northern Serbia to Romania. Rain will fall across the southern Balkans.
Content contributed by Adam Douty, AccuWeather Meteorologist