BBC Weather: Europe paralysed by DANGEROUS snowfall as temperatures PLUMMET
BBC Weather has warned Europe is bracing for some "dangerous" weather conditions as some could see up to two metres of snow in the next 48 hours.
BBC Weather: Europe set for HEAVY snow as temperatures drop
The problematic weather conditions have already started to paralyse some of central and eastern European countries with unexpected snow covering Athens, Greece and causing disruptions in Turkey. The Italian Alps will also see the worst of the weather in the next 48 hours, BBC Weather forecaster Ben Rich has warned. Where snow will be spared, strong winds will strike causing further disruption in the UK and other northern and central areas.
Mr Rich said: “It is looking cold across central and eastern Europe and for some places we’ve already had significant snow.
“More to come as well. Across the Alps, the snow is causing potentially some problems, some really dangerous conditions.
“As we head towards the end of this week it may be that some places accumulate one or two metres of fresh snow.
“Throughout Tuesday we can see up to half a metre of snow, 50cm in places across southern Germany into Austria and Switzerland.
“But some of that snow getting into Italy as well.
“You can also see this storm system riding across eastern Turkey, significant snow here.
Across the Alps the snow is causing potentially some problems, some really dangerous conditions
“And real plunge into the cold in the Balkans and Greece.
“Iberia seeing some sunshine, 11C in Madrid but you can see the snowfall across the Alps and the snow extending across Germany, through Poland, down into the Czech Republic.
“And some really strong northerly winds blowing down across central parts, particularly across Germany.”
Severe cold weather triggered by atmospheric changes in the North Pole also threatens grip the UK from next week keeping the nation on ice until spring.
The big chill will coincide with predicted effects of a Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) event which developed over the North Pole last month. SSW, which triggers severe cold weather in the UK, was the driver for last year’s Beast from the East winter blast.
European weather: Alps face 50cm of snowfall in just 24 hours
It is shaping up to be much stronger this time round sparking fears the UK could be facing an even longer, more severe Arctic deluge.
Some meteorological experts have flagged similarities to winter 2005/06 which saw heavy, thundery snowfall continue almost into mid-April.
While it wasn't the most severe winter on record in Britain, savage cold swept Europe bringing snowfall to parts of the Continent for the first time in decades.
Swathes of eastern Europe braved the coldest winter for more than 30 years as temperatures dropped to -40C (-40F) in Russia claiming dozens of lives.