Rounds of heavy snow, rain to batter Italy and Balkan Peninsula this week
A slow-moving storm will threaten to cause travel disruptions from Italy into the Balkan Peninsula through late this week.
Locations from the Dinaric Alps into northeast Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria and Hungary will experience several days of accumulating snowfall.
The repeated rounds of snowfall will result in totals in excess of 30 cm (12 inches) across parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, central and eastern Croatia, Slovenia, eastern Austria and western Hungary.
Areas at risk for at least 15 cm (6 inches) of snow through Friday include Ljubljana, Slovenia, Zagreb, Croatia, and Graz, Austria.
The snow will result in travel disruptions ranging from rail delays and canceled flights to potentially closed roadways.
"Another concern will be for power outages as the snow will be heavy and wet," according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Tyler Roys.
The heaviest snow on Wednesday will fall in and near the Dinaric Alps from northern Bosnia and Herzegovina into southern Slovenia.
The heaviest snowfall will continue in these areas on Thursday but expand into the lower terrain of the region, causing widespread travel disruption.
Heavy snow will also target Sarajevo, totaling 15-30 mm (6-12 inches) through Thursday night before milder air arrives and changes the snow to rain on Friday.
Another shot of cold air and snow will arrive over the weekend and into early next week which will bring additional snowfall.
While not as widespread as the snowfall across the Balkan Peninsula, heavy mountain snow will impact the Apennines of central and northern Italy each day from Wednesday into Friday.
"Snowfall amounts over 30 cm (12 inches) are expected which will cause travel difficulty and also elevate the risk for avalanches," said Roys.
Coastal locations from southern and eastern Italy into the western Balkans will escape any snowfall; however, daily downpours will raise the risk for flooding in these areas.
Rainfall totals of 25-75 mm (1-3 inches) will be found in many areas from Italy into Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia.
Locations at highest risk for flooding and slower travel include Zadar and Split in Croatia; Podgorica, Montenegro; and areas from Ravenna to Pescara along the east coast of Italy.
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