Winter to get an early start as cold sweeps from Warsaw to Paris and London early this week
Have you ever been running or working hard outdoors and noticed your throat and lungs burning from the cold air? There is an explanation for it.
The coldest air so far this season will sweep across northern Europe during the first half of this week, bringing snow to some communities.
It will feel more like winter has gotten off to an early start as cold air sweeps from western Russia to northern mainland Europe and the British Isles.
Highs being held 3-6 degrees Celsius (5-10 degrees Fahrenheit) below normal will have residents wrapping up with winter coats, gloves, hats and scarves before heading outdoors.
On the coldest day of the week, temperatures may be held close to freezing in Warsaw, 2 C (35 F) in Berlin, 3 C (upper 30s F) in Paris and 5 C (lower 40s F) in London.
Brisk winds will create even lower AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures.
"Many places will record RealFeel® Temperatures around freezing," according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Tyler Roys. "For those heading to the Cardiff Christmas market in Wales on Tuesday, RealFeels are projected to stay below freezing all day."
"The cold may feel especially harsh to residents as northern Europe has been warmer than normal most of this November," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Mike Doll added.
Download the free AccuWeather app to find out how cold it will get in your area.
Adding to the taste of winter will come the opportunity for snow in some communities.
While a widespread snowstorm is not anticipated to unfold, there can be pockets of snow. Some communities will face slick travel, while the snow may put residents in the mood for the holiday season.
One of the areas Roys is most concerned for accumulating snow is across central Germany on Tuesday.
"Between 2-8 cm (1-3 inches) of snow can fall from Leipzig to Dortmund on Tuesday, creating slick and treacherous travel," Roys said.
Lesser amounts are anticipated for Berlin on Tuesday night, but motorists should not let their guard down.
"If the snow falls heavy enough, there is concern that snow can coat untreated roads and sidewalks," according to Roys. "All it takes is one spin-out to create travel nightmares."
Paris escaped travel disruptions as snowflakes made an appearance on Tuesday morning
Any snow in the United Kingdom should remain confined to the hills with chilly rain showers in store for most areas.
"Showers across the British Isles will be most numerous along the eastern coasts and become more widely separated over western areas," Roys stated.
The cold will release its grip on western Europe later in the week, but the chilly dome of high pressure may hang on longer across eastern Europe.
Cold blasts plunging into eastern Europe is expected to be one of the themes of the upcoming winter, according to the AccuWeather long-range forecasting team.
