Snow to blanket Balkan Peninsula, Ukraine into Friday
Heavy snow is causing severe disruption for those travelling in central Europe this weekend. Southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland were among the most affected areas on Saturday - with more than 20 centimetres of snow falling in some areas. Dozens of flights were cancelled in the region because of the conditions.
A storm is set to bring disruptive snowfall to areas from the Balkan Peninsula to Ukraine into Friday.
The storm gained strength on Wednesday as it tracked from Italy into the Balkan Peninsula, bringing snow to interior locations from northern Greece to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and southwestern Romania into Thursday.
Another round of snow also spread over northern Moldova and parts of Ukraine on Thursday.
As the storm continues to track eastward, the heaviest snowfall into Friday will be from central Romania into Moldova and Ukraine.
Areas from central Romania to central Ukraine can expect total snowfall of 8-15 cm (3-6 inches) by the end of the day on Friday.
"Within this corridor, there will be a narrow swath of 15-20 cm (6-10 inches) of snow focused on central Moldova and surrounding parts of Romania and Ukraine," according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Brian Thompson.
This heavier band of snow may spread over the city of Chisinau, causing roads to turn slick and treacherous.
"Travel disruptions are expected, with the hardest-hit areas potentially seeing tree damage and power outages,” added AccuWeather Meteorologist Tyler Roys.
School closures, as well as other disruptions to daily routines can be anticipated.
A jogger passes in front of the statue of Alexander The Great, during a snowfall in the northern port city of Thessaloniki, Greece, on Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos)
From Bosnia and Herzegovina to Serbia, snow will gradually wind down on Thursday night.
Cold weather will follow on Friday, with the risk for lingering snow showers and icy spots as temperatures remain near or below freezing.
Snow showers will continue to occur at times this weekend from Romania into Ukraine; however, travel disruptions are expected to decrease with snowfall generally limited to a coating to 2 cm (1 inch) in most areas.
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