Weekend chill to follow disruptive snow into Germany

By Courtney Spamer, AccuWeather meteorologist

January 12,2017, 12:22:29PM,EST

 

 Fresh cold will plunge into Germany this weekend following the disruptive snow targeting northern areas through Friday.

A strengthening storm will unleash disruptive snow and strong winds to Germany through Friday.
The heaviest snow will fall through Friday morning across northern and central Germany. A total of 8-15 cm (3-6 inches) will blanket the Harz Mountains and the other hills of central Germany.
"Snow will generally total 2-8 cm (1-3 inches) elsewhere in the lower elevations from North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Pfalz to Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski said.
"Temperatures will be close to freezing, so rain will mix in for a time and the snow will be heavy and wet," she said. "Residents should use caution when shoveling, and roads will become slushy to slippery from Cologne to Bremen to Hannover to Schwerin."

Disruptions to travel and daily routines can be expected to start Friday. The heaviest snow can also weigh down trees and power lines.
The exception to the accumulating snow in northern Germany will be along the northwestern parts of Lower Saxony and into Kiel. In these places, enough of the warm, North Sea air will allow for a mix of rain and snow showers, and likely less accumulation.
The heaviest snow will fall north of Berlin, but around 2 cm (an inch) in the city can lead to slushy conditions.
The storm will also produce strong winds along its southern fringe, especially from Rhineland-Pfalz and Saarland to Saxony.
"Winds will gust between 80 and 115 km/h (50 and 70 mph) along this corridor, threatening to lead to power outages and tree damage," Pydynowski said. "Flight delays and dangerous crosswinds are other concerns."
Winds of this magnitude can also cause blowing and drifting snow and reduce visibility for motorists.
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"While snow can coat Frankfurt on Friday morning, the winds will be the bigger threat to residents and travelers," Pydynowski said.
Even after the storm moves into Poland later on Friday, waves of moisture will bring more wintry weather. With the help of rising temperatures, showers on Friday will be a mix of rain and snow for most of Germany.
Northwestern parts of the country will be the most likely to get the steadiest rain, with some snow showers mixing in.
“Warming on Friday will keep much additional snowfall from accumulating,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Rob Richards said.
The exception, however, will be across Baden-Wurttemberg and southern Bavaria, as areas near the Alps hold on to the cold a little longer, allowing for a light snow accumulation throughout the day.
Rain and snow showers will lighten into Friday night, ending as snow showers on Saturday.

“The last bit of moisture will come with a surge of cooler air on Saturday,” said Richards.
Intermittent snow showers will stretch from Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia to Saxony and Bavaria on Saturday.
Most places will get a fresh coating of snow to start off the weekend, but a few places under a steadier snow band could receive up to 2 cm (an inch) of new snow. There can be 2-5 cm (1-2 inches) in the higher elevations.
As the weekend progresses, snow showers will become more and more isolated. A few lingering snow showers are possible across much of the country into Sunday night before drying out early in the new week.
Temperatures will continue to trend downward through the weekend. On Sunday, highs will average a few degrees on either side of zero C (27 to 37 F). The highest temperatures will be recorded in the northwest.