Bulgaria to Experience Snowy Start to Astronomical Winter This Weekend

Bulgaria is set to welcome astronomical winter with snow on Saturday, as a Mediterranean cyclone moves through the region. On Friday morning, fog is expected in the lowland areas, especially around reservoirs, valleys, and lowlands, where it will persist in some places. During the day, cloud cover will increase, with temperatures reaching between 8 and 13 degrees Celsius. In the afternoon, rainfall is forecasted for the southern and western regions, which will continue overnight into Saturday, affecting most of the country.

The cyclone will bring significant rainfall to central southern and southeastern Bulgaria, while snow is expected in many areas of Western and Central Bulgaria, as well as around Stara Planina in the Fore-Balkans and the Danube Plain. Snow accumulation will range from 5 to 15 centimeters in the lowland and foothill areas, with up to 20-30 cm expected in the mountains. Winds will also intensify, and gusts may occur, especially along mountain roads and passes.

The weekend weather will bring daytime temperatures between 4 and 9 degrees. While Saturday will be rainy, Sunday will see much less precipitation, with clouds dissipating before noon, allowing for some sunshine to break through later in the day.

For Christmas Eve, December 23-24, Bulgaria will experience another wave of dynamic weather due to a new cyclone. Daytime temperatures will range from 3 to 8 degrees, and snow is expected in Western and Central Bulgaria. On Christmas Eve, there will be variable cloudiness, with rain and snow in the mountains and Eastern Bulgaria. Temperatures will remain similar to the previous days.

Anastasia Stoycheva, a meteorologist from NIMH, assured that the weather would be typical for the end of December. Snow is expected to persist in many areas, including about 5 cm in Sofia. The coldest temperatures will be recorded on Monday morning, with wind chills making it feel like -10 to -18 degrees.

Source: NIMH