Major Winter Storm To Impact Southeast Europe This Weekend
By Andrew Owen and Drew Lerner
Kansas City, January 14 (World Weather Inc.) – An active weather pattern in Europe is expected to culminate in a major winter storm over southeastern Europe this weekend resulting in substantial snowfall, heavy rain, strong wind and blizzard conditions 
and much colder temperatures. The impact will be greatest on the region’s travel and livestock stress is expected to be very high with some animal health at risk. A stronger supplemental heating fuel demand will follow the storm with much colder temperatures in all of eastern Europe, western Russia and Ukraine. There will also be some potential for crop damaging cold conditions in the usually moderate climate area of Greece.
An active weather pattern has already been producing frequent bouts of rain and snow in the European continent this week. A short term rise in air temperatures under way in southeastern parts of the continent now will be followed by a sudden return of colder conditions Friday into the weekend. The environment will favor the development of very intense low pressure center over the eastern Mediterranean region that will pump large amounts of moisture north and east ahead of the storm.
Widespread rain and snow will accompany the storm with a narrow band of freezing rain and sleet also expected. Snow accumulations will be greatest in Bulgaria, Romania and 
Serbia where 5 to 12 inches and local totals to 20 inches will result from Friday into the weekend. Such amounts of snow will cause serious travel disruptions and may strand some commuters in their cars, on trains and waiting at airports. The storm will be accompanied by windy conditions that may produce blizzard and near blizzard conditions. Snow drifts will reach over 6 feet in some areas and the impact will be devastating to cattle and other livestock exposed to the elements.
Some heavy rain will fall along the middle and lower eastern Adriatic Sea coast and across portions of Greece and Turkey. Some of the rain in these areas will change to snow and mountainous areas from southeastern Europe into Turkey will experience substantial snow accumulations possibly raising the potential for avalanches.
Bitter cold temperatures will follow the storm with highs in the positive and negative single digits Fahrenheit occurring in much of eastern Europe from Poland to Romania and east into Ukraine, Belarus, western Russia and parts of the Baltic States. Snow should protect most of the winter wheat, rye, barley and rapeseed from the harsh conditions. Some crops in Greece and will not be protected. Greece rarely gets much bitter cold and olive, citrus and other warm season crops may be damaged when the coldest air settles into the region this weekend and especially next week.
Moisture totals will vary from 0.40 to 1.50 inches most often in interior southeastern parts of the Europe while 1.50 to more than 4.00 inches result along the middle and lower eastern Adriatic Sea coast where some flooding may result.
Flooding from the storm may also impact a few other areas, especially in the spring when melting snow could contribute to high river and stream flows.
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