Extreme Temperatures
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Snowflake

May snowstorm delivers over 2 feet of Californian snowfall in 24 hours

The Palisades, Sunday 5 May, 2024
The Palisades, Sunday 5 May, 2024
A massive May snowfall has delivered over two feet of snowfall in 24 hours to the Lake Tahoe region.

A winter storm warning has been in force and some key roads in the region were closed for a time or required vehicles to have snow chains as a result of one of the heaviest snowstorms of the season.

The Palisades, one of the ski areas still open in California, reported 26" (65cm) of fresh snowfall in 24 hours at the weekend.

The snowfall was driven in on gale force winds, but resulted in deep snow conditions for skiers and riders on Sunday.


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Late April snowstorm traps 1,000 vehicles near Atal Tunnel in Himachal Pradesh, India

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In Lahaul, Himachal Pradesh, heavy snow near the Atal Tunnel trapped over 1000 vehicles, with tourists now facing tough weather conditions. The snowstorm hit near the Atal Tunnel Rohtang, blocking roads and trapping over 1000 vehicles, including more than 6000 people.

Rescue operations have been underway since Monday, with teams from District Police Kullu and Manali Police working tirelessly to evacuate stranded vehicles and tourists. DSP Manali KD Sharma said that the snowfall caught many off guard, leading to the massive traffic jam.


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Heavy snowfall at the end of April continues in the Alps - meter of snow in 3 days

Stubai Glacier
The snowy end to April in the Alps shows no sign of abating with a number of resorts posting up to a metre of snowfall in the last three days.

The latest big falls come after Gstaad's Glacier 3000 ski areas reported a 1.5m (five foot) accumulation in a similar period last week.

At the start of this week it's Austria's Stubai Glacier (pictured top earlier this week) in Tirol region, which has had over a metre of snowfall and is now posting Europe's deepest snow up high at 5.65 metres (nearly 19 feet), one of the deepest snowpacks reported all season. It's staying open to late May.

Switzerland's Engelberg, also open into May, is the latest to report nearly a metre (97cm) of snowfall in 72 hours and reports its snow 4 metres deep on the glacier.

Around 30 ski regions remain open in the Alps for the final week of April with around half of them planning to stay open into May.


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Germany's Zugspitze sees 3 feet of Spring snow in 5 days

In the last 5 days, around 1 meter of snow fell at the Zugspitze. |
© Zugspitze FacebookIn the last 5 days, around 1 meter of snow fell at the Zugspitze.
Germany's tallest mountain, the Zugspitze with an elevation of 9,718 feet (2,962 meters), received 16 inches (40 cm) of snow in the last 24 hours and around 3.3 feet (1 meter) in the last five days. Snow conditions at the Zugpitze Ski Area are perfect right now, despite the resort having started preparing for the summer season.

Thanks to the resort being home to one of the last remaining German glaciers and its high altitude, the Zugspitze is open for skiing until May each year. This year the season is scheduled to end on May 1, 2024. Current snowdepth at the Zugspitze, which is measured at the measuring station at 7,382 feet (2,250 meters), is 147 inches (372 cm).

The Zugspitze ski area offers 12.5 miles (20 km) of groomed ski runs across three peaks, the Schneefernerkopf at 9,429 feet (2,874 meters), Wetterwandeck 8,852 feet (2,698 meters), and Zugspitze or Zugspitze plateau at 8,530 feet (2,600 meters). The ski area can usually be accessed from Germany as well as Austria, however, access from Austria is now closed for the winter season.


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Kurzeme in Latvia sees thick layer of April snow

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© Māris Lācis
On Tuesday morning, the thickest snow layer was formed in Kurzeme, according to the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Center (LVĢMC).

From where LVĢMC is taking measurements, the deepest snow this morning at 9:00 was 11 centimeters in Talsi municipality Stende, while a nine-centimetre thick layer of snow had formed in Saldus in the early hours of the morning. Elsewhere in official weather watch stations, the snow cover has been thinner.

Residents from several locations in Kurzeme report as much as a 15-20 centimeter thick layer of snow.


Comment: At the same time in several nearby countries across this part of northern Europe:


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Tallinn in Estonia blanketed in thick April snow

10 centimeters of snow blanketed Tallinn
© Ken Mürk/ERR10 centimeters of snow blanketed Tallinn on April 23, 2024.
Tallinn and Harju County saw a night of snow which has covered the land in a fluffy coat. The snow is still coming down Tuesday morning, with drivers who have changed their tires to the summer variety urged to leave their vehicles home.

Tuesday will be cloudy, with sleet, snow and in places rain forecast. Blizzards are not out of the question either. The precipitation is forecast to ease up moving into the evening, with clearer patches of sky possible in the west of the country. Westerlies of 4-9 meters per second are in store, 16 m/s during gusts. The temperature will rise from 0 degrees Celsius in the morning to around 4 degrees later in the day.

As the precipitation moves west, driving conditions will suffer in Northern and Western Estonia. The wintry mix can come down hard at times, while freezing rain is not out of the question either. Road surface temperatures are near-zero and precipitation can make them extremely slippery, the Transport Administration warns.


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Helsinki shuts down tram network after late April snowfall in Finland

The exceptional late spring snow meant many services were disrupted in Helsinki.
The exceptional late spring snow meant many services were disrupted in Helsinki.
Helsinki's tram network shut down completely on Tuesday, after freezing rain and snowfall iced up overhead power lines and jammed the points at various points around the network.

The freak April weather left several trams stuck along the number 15 line, and with winter maintenance machines already in storage for the summer, operators made the decision to cancel all tram services for the whole day.

Services are expected to re-start on Wednesday morning on a reduced timetable.

Many HSL bus services were also delayed or cancelled, with driving conditions described as 'very bad' by the Meteorological Institute.

Metro services and commuter trains were running normally, although K and I trains were on a reduced timetable.

"This is a very unusual situation, but this weather is also unusual," said Helsinki Region Transport (Finnish acronym HSL) press officer Johannes Laitila, who urged travellers to allow more time for their journeys.


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Thick snow cover returns to parts of Lithuania

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On Tuesday morning, parts of Lithuania woke up to several centimetres of snow.

According to the Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service (LHMT), it snowed practically all over the country on Monday.

According to the 8:00 data, the thickest snow cover was in the Panevėžys, Šiauliai, and Radviliskis districts, where it reached 12 - 17 centimetres.

The heavy snowfall resulted in a cover of wet snow on trees, wires, and various structures. It broke or bent tree branches, leaving some residents without electricity and some roads impassable.


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Heavy April snowfall in northern Albania

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Spring has officially sprung, but winter still seems to be present in a part of the north of the country. The heavy snowfalls have continued with high intensity even during today's day where, in addition to the problems they bring to traffic, they also offer stunning views.

The snow covered the city of Puka today, where it is reported that the rains that started in the early hours of the morning and continue even now, have brought the thickness of the snow up to 25 centimeters. So far there are no problems in this area.

Snow is also reported to be present on the Bogë-Theth axis, where snowplows have come out and are working on its full opening. Currently, vehicles are driven with winter tires.

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Snowflake Cold

Fresh April snow and black ice: the onset of winter is causing chaos in parts of Germany

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Winter conditions in April: Snow, hail, black ice and heavy rain caused numerous accidents in traffic on Saturday. For this Sunday, the German Weather Service (DWD) announced heavy snowfall in the low mountain ranges - and also warned of black ice. In Bavaria in particular, there could be traffic disruptions and the risk of tree damage due to the high snow loads. In the Free State it could snow heavily in the morning, especially in the north and in the Alps, even down to lower altitudes.

In East Westphalia-Lippe, a number of trees snapped under the weight of snow on Sunday night. As the police reported, this created around 20 danger spots. Local fire brigade helpers removed the fallen trees and cleared the streets. In Extertal and Leopoldshöhe, drivers drove their vehicles off the road in snow and slippery conditions and ended up in a ditch. Nobody got hurt. In the early hours of the morning, several centimeters of snow had fallen in parts of Ostwestfalen-Lippe, and even ten centimeters in Horn-Bad Meinberg, a police spokesman said.