Extreme Temperatures
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Snowflake Cold

Excessive snowfall forecast in some areas of Europe for Jan 8-11, 2017

Snow map
An overview of the pattern through the next 3 days when some areas in Europe will be experiencing excessive snowfall. One of these areas is the E Balkans and Turkey which is influenced by the arctic outbreak airmass associated with stationary upper low centered above the Aegean sea. Dark blue areas should expect 30-50 cm of new snow until Tuesday. Even more seems possible in the mountains of S Turkey, local totals could exceed 100 cm.

Persistent N-NE-erlies across the W Balkan peninsula and central Europe will result in additional snowfall across the N side of the Alps and in SE Italy (Adriatic sea-effect snow) and 30-50 cm seems possible there as well.

Iceland and mountainous Norway should experience deep cyclones moving from N Atlantic into Scandinavia and result in excessive precipitation where higher elevations could receive 40-75 cm of new snow by Tuesday.

Elsewhere, areas around the dark blue areas will be getting some snow, but not very significant or excessive amounts are expected.

Snowflake Cold

Coldest in over 100 years: Moscow breaks records celebrating Christmas with a shiver

Moscow, Russia
© Sputnik/Evgeniy BiyatovWinter in Moscow
On Christmas Eve, the weather in Moscow broke all records.

The temperature in Russia's capital in the morning was a very chilly 30°C below zero (minus 22°F).

The Moskva River and the Kremlin Embankment on a freezing cold day (the temperature has fallen to minus 27°С). The Cathedral of Christ the Savior is seen on the left. The Moscow Kremlin's Vodovzvodnaya Tower, right, and Bolshoi Kamenny Bridge, center.
The Moskva River and the Kremlin Embankment on a freezing cold day (the temperature has fallen to minus 27°С). The Cathedral of Christ the Savior is seen on the left. The Moscow Kremlin's Vodovzvodnaya Tower, right, and Bolshoi Kamenny Bridge, center.
People are seen here on Kozhukhovsky lake in Moscow as lows drop to minus 24 degrees Celsius.  Read more: https://sputniknews.com/photo/201701081049368029-moscow-winter-frost/
People are seen here on Kozhukhovsky lake in Moscow as lows drop to minus 24 degrees Celsius.


Snowflake Cold

Heavy snowfall, icy weather grip Italy, Greece and Turkey

Heavy snowfall in Italy
Heavy snowfall in Italy
Heavy snowfall and below-freezing temperatures continued to sweep the European continent Saturday, causing more than a dozen deaths, grounding airplanes and crippling ferries in Italy and Turkey.

At least 10 people have died in the cold that has gripped Poland in recent days, included seven men ages 41 and 66 who died Friday, authorities said. A 51-year-old died of asphyxiation with carbon monoxide from a malfunctioning heater.

Temperatures in Poland dropped below -20 degrees Celsius (-4 F) on Saturday, and weather forecasts said they would sink more overnight.

A man died also died Saturday in Belgium when his truck slid off a highway.




Igloo

A frigid US: Average temperature 11°F

US Minimum temperature
© NOAA/NDFD
As predicted here ten days ago, portions of all of the Lower 48 states are below 32 deg. F at 6 a.m. EST this morning (animation here):
A frigid US
© earth.nullschool.netSurface temperature and wind patterns at 6 a.m. January 7, 2017.
The spatial average temperature over the Lower 48 at 6 a.m. is 11 deg. F, which is fully 9 deg. (!) colder than at any time last winter (20 deg. F) which occurred twice in January of 2016.

Snowflake Cold

Bone-chilling cold: Blizzards, snowstorms and floods wreak havoc across Europe

Istanbul snowstorm
© Yasin Akgul / AFP People walk on the Istiklal avenue during snowfalls in Istanbul on January 7, 2017.
Bone-freezing cold, heavy snowstorms, and floods have been plaguing the European continent this week, causing power outages, traffic jams, cancelled flights, and even a stream of plastic eggs with toys washing up on a German island.

On Saturday, heavy precipitation paralyzed Istanbul, Turkey. Around 6,000 passengers found themselves stranded as hundreds of flights to and from the city's main Ataturk Airport were cancelled due to the snowstorm.

The Bosphorus Strait was closed to ships due to poor visibility, cutting off the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea from the Mediterranean.

Many drivers abandoned their cars and walked rather than waiting for streets to be cleaned. Istanbul's metro system operated throughout the night to deal with a sudden passenger spike.

Comment: At least 9 dead as blizzards and icy weather grip parts of Europe


Snowflake Cold

At least 9 dead as blizzards and icy weather grip parts of Europe

Bosnian worker tries to clear a mountain road near Sarajevo, Bosnia, on Friday, Jan. 6, 2017. The region is bracing itself for a spell of extremely cold weather with temperatures expected to remain between - 11 and - 26 degrees centigrade (from 5 to - 14.
© AP /Amel EmricBosnian worker tries to clear a mountain road near Sarajevo, Bosnia, on Friday, Jan. 6, 2017. The region is bracing itself for a spell of extremely cold weather with temperatures expected to remain between - 11 and - 26 degrees centigrade (from 5 to - 14.8 degrees Fahrenheit).
Blizzards swept parts of Europe on Friday, causing at least nine deaths, closing roads and resulting in traffic accidents, travel delays and medical evacuations.

In Poland, the cold snap was blamed for five deaths in 24 hours.
Three people died from hypothermia, while two more died from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by malfunctioning heaters, the government Security Center said.

Officials in neighboring Ukraine reported that four people had died from effects of the cold in the Lviv region near the Polish border.

In Romania, authorities said 90 people were rescued from stranded cars and that crews were working to save people stuck in some 30 cars on a major highway. More than 40 trains were not running due to snow on the tracks.

Senior emergency situations official Raed Arafat said Romanian authorities also evacuated 622 people who needed dialysis and 126 pregnant women. The blizzard is expected to ease off late Friday.



A man with frost on his face runs along the bank of the Neris river as temperatures dipped to -21 degrees Celsius (-5.8 degrees Fahrenheit) in Vilnius, Lithuania, Friday, Jan. 6, 2017.
© AP/Mindaugas KulbisA man with frost on his face runs along the bank of the Neris river as temperatures dipped to -21 degrees Celsius (-5.8 degrees Fahrenheit) in Vilnius, Lithuania, Friday, Jan. 6, 2017.

Snowflake Cold

Heavy snowfall disrupts life in Himachal, India: Electricity, water supply hampered in Shimla

People walking on the snow covered road at Sanjauli, Shimla on Saturday.
© Deepak Sansta/HT People walking on the snow covered road at Sanjauli, Shimla on Saturday.
Winter's first heavy snowfall intensified the cold wave while it disrupted normal life in the state's capital Shimla and its surroundings.

Strong western disturbances brought intermittent spell of snow in the capital town that affected the normal life. Shimla's highest point Jakhu recorded 15 centimetres of the snow.

Snow covered roads disrupted the traffic movement in the capital town, hampering supplies of daily commodities. Kalka-Shimla national highway remained block beyond Taradevi, as the vehicles could not ply on the snow laden roads. Thunderstorm that lashed the town during the last 24 hours also impacted electricity supply in the town.

Many areas of the town including brockhurst, Jakhu, US Club and Khalini were affected . Kufri the closest tourist destination from states capital recorded 24 centimetres of the snowfall. The strategic Hindustan Tibet road has been closed for traffic beyond Sanjauli. The famous tourist resort Narkanda experienced 30 centimetres of snow.




Snowflake Cold

Heavy snowstorm paralyses Istanbul, Turkey

People walk during snowfalls in Istanbul on January 7, 2017
© AFP/Ozan KosePeople walk during snowfalls in Istanbul on January 7, 2017
A heavy snowstorm paralysed life in Istanbul on Saturday, with hundreds of flights cancelled and the Bosphorus closed to shipping traffic.

The snowstorm dumped almost 40 centimetres (16 inches) of snow in parts of the Turkish metropolis overnight, causing havoc on roads as travellers sought to leave the city for the weekend getaway.

For those not travelling, the snow however provided a rare chance to see Istanbul's famous minaret and dome-studded skyline caked in a white layer of snow.

Flag carrier Turkish Airlines (THY) cancelled some 500 flights from both the main Ataturk and Sabiha Gokcen airports, with the snow also bringing poor visibility.



Snowflake Cold

New cold record of -41.7C and freak winter thunderstorm in Finland

Nuorgam in Finland
© Saana Antikainen Nuorgam on January 4, 2017.
Early Thursday a new cold record for this winter of -41.7 degrees Celsius was set in Muonio, Finnish Lapland. It was nearly as chilly in the village of Naruska in Salla, where thermometers showed -41.4. On Thursday night temperatures are expected to fall further in southern and central Finland as well.

Shortly after midnight, this winter's new cold record of -41.7 degrees Celsius was set in Muonio, Finnish Lapland. It was nearly as chilly in the village of Naruska in Salla, where thermometers showed -41.4.

A day earlier, the record was snapped twice in Finnish Lapland.

According to the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI), thermometers sank to -38.7 degrees Celsius shortly before 7 am at Nuorgam in the northernmost municipality of Utsjoki. Just after noon that record was bested by the village of Väylä, slightly further south in Inari. There the mercury plunged to -39.8.

Igloo

US in the grip of the 'The Big Chill'

We've known that the USA is in for a bi-coastal blast of cold air, snow, and heavy rains, but this map by Jesse Farrell shows just how much of the contiguous USA has below freezing temperatures this morning.

Here is a summary of temperatures seen this morning by states:
  • All States except Florida (80% of US Land) are less than 32°F
  • 25 States (30% Land) Below 0 °F
  • 6 States Below -20°F
USA Temperatures
© Jesse Farrell
Of course, though not seen in the map above, Alaska has subfreezing temperatures, and Hawaii has subfreezing temperatures on the mountain peaks of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea -not unusual for this time of year, but it is important not to exclude the 49th, and 50th states from any discussion about the USA.

Meanwhile, a once in a decade storm will hit California this weekend.