Eastern Europe Heads For Coldest Period Of Season

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By Drew Lerner

Kansas City, January 6 (World Weather Inc.) – Bitter cold has impacted nearly every continent in the Northern Hemisphere at one time or another this winter. Extreme temperatures have been down to near and slightly below -58 degrees Fahrenheit (-50C) a couple of times over Russia. Northeastern China has been down to -40 and parts of Canada have been that cold as well. This morning, Laramie, Wyoming slipped to -40 Fahrenheit and Bemidji, Minnesota dropped to -33 Fahrenheit. Europe is the only continent that has managed to escape the bitter cold, but that will change this weekend into early next week. Worry was running high earlier today from the Black Sea region that bitter cold conditions would come with poor snow cover, but that is not true. Snow will fall ahead of the cold to prevent winterkill for winter small grains and rapeseed. Some damage to citrus fruit, Olives and possibly some unharvested Kiwi fruit.

Snow was on the ground in much of central and Eastern Europe Thursday morning. There was a lack of snow cover in southern Ukraine, parts of the lower Volga River Basin in Russia and in several areas in southeastern Europe.  Worry over these snow free areas was expressed by agricultural advisory services in the Black Sea this morning, but those worries were a little out of line since snow will fall in much of the snow free region before the coldest air arrives.

Temperatures in southern Ukraine and southeastern Europe this morning were no colder than the teens and 20s Fahrenheit, but a massive cold airmass over northern Russia was moving to the west and south. The cold will over spread much of Eastern Europe and the western CIS this weekend into early next week with a moderation in the temperature extremes expected over time. Lowest temperatures this morning in northern Russia were in the negative 40s Celsius or varying from -54 to -40 Fahrenheit. The cold was quite impressive, but plenty of snow was on the ground where the temperatures were so extremely cold.

By Saturday morning, subzero degree Fahrenheit temperatures will overspread much of Eastern Europe and they will be festering there Sunday and Monday before starting to moderate thereafter. Subzero Fahrenheit lows will occur southward into Romania, parts of Bulgaria and some of the other Balkan Countries while dropping into the negative teens and negative single digits across northeastern Europe. The bitter cold should not get any further west than southeastern Germany.

Most of the temperatures in today’s snow free areas will vary in the single digits and teens. Snow and blowing snow is expected today and Saturday across much of the region that reported snow free conditions this morning and those areas that do not get snow are unlikely to experience temperatures low enough to harm crops. But, it will be important that the coldest air stays over snowfields to protect winter crops from damage.

World Weather, Inc. does not expect any of the extreme cold to reach into snow free areas. Travel will be hampered by some of the snow and blowing snow that will evolve ahead of the coldest conditions.

The bitter cold airmass expected in Eastern Europe will pull away from the primary source of bitter cold which is expected to remain over Russia. The pool of cold in Eastern Europe will then become cutoff and will hang out over southeastern Europe through a large part of next week. Temperatures will be slow to modify, but over time the airmass will lose some of its intensity. Much of Eastern Europe and the western CIS will be quite cold, however, through at least the middle part of next week.

Winter grain and oilseed crops will be safe from damage, but some olive and citrus trees may be damaged in the southeastern part of Europe and in the eastern Mediterranean region because of subfreezing temperatures. Some unharvested Kiwi fruit may be damaged in Italy, as well.

World Weather, Inc. forecasts and comments pertaining to present, past and future weather conditions included in this report constitute the corporation’s judgment as of the date of this report and are subject to change without notice. Comments regarding damage or the impact of weather on agricultural and energy as well as comments made regarding the impact of weather on the commodity and financial markets are the explicit opinions of World Weather, Inc. World Weather, Inc. cannot be held responsible for decisions made by users of the Corporation’s information in any business, trade or investment decision.

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