Bulgaria Faces Strong Winds and Cold Snap as Weather Warnings Issued

The National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology has issued a combined orange and yellow wind warning covering nearly all of Bulgaria, signaling strong and potentially hazardous winds. An orange alert has been declared for the districts of Vidin, Vratsa, Montana, Pleven, Sofia region, Lovech, Gabrovo, Veliko Tarnovo, Blagoevgrad, Pazardzhik, Plovdiv, and Sliven. Yellow warnings apply to most of the remaining regions, except for parts of Burgas and Smolyan, which are not under alert.

Atmospheric pressure will remain below the monthly average overnight and through the morning, before starting to rise by midday. On the night of December 28, skies will generally be clear, though Northern and Eastern Bulgaria may experience temporary cloud increases. A light to moderate westerly wind will blow across the Danube Plain, intensifying after midnight. Overnight temperatures are expected to range from minus 3° to 2°, with Sofia around minus 2°.

During the day, strong, gusty west-northwest winds will drive cold air across the country. Cloud cover will vary, with light snow possible in isolated areas, mainly in Northeastern Bulgaria. Maximum temperatures before noon will range between 2° and 7°, with Sofia reaching around 3°.

In the mountains, cloudiness will be variable but often significant. Snowfall is expected in the Balkan Mountains, and blizzards may occur along the Balkan passes. A stormy northwest wind will bring cold air, with temperatures dropping throughout the day. By 2 pm, temperatures at 1,200 meters are forecast around minus 5°, and at 2,000 meters around minus 7°.

Along the Black Sea coast, skies will be variably cloudy, with moderate to strong west-northwest winds. Maximum temperatures will range between 4° and 7°, while sea water temperatures will remain between 8° and 11°, and waves reaching 2–3 points on the Beaufort scale.

The week will begin with mostly sunny weather as winds weaken and shift to west-southwest. Overnight lows will fall between minus 5° and 0°, while daytime highs will reach 2°–7°. On Tuesday, sunny hours are expected in the morning, followed by increasing cloudiness in the afternoon, without precipitation. Minimum temperatures will drop by 1–2 degrees, and maximum temperatures will climb to 5°–10°.

Later on Tuesday, northwest winds will return, bringing another surge of cold air. Wednesday and Thursday are forecast to be very cold and windy, with variable cloudiness. On New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, skies will be mostly cloudy, with light snow in parts of Northern Bulgaria and mountainous areas. Minimum temperatures will range from minus 8° to minus 3°, and maximum temperatures from minus 3° to 2°.

By Friday and Saturday, winds will weaken and shift southwest, with temporary calm in many areas. Following a brief period of mostly sunny skies, cloud cover will increase again overnight, with scattered light snow in some regions. Friday morning will be particularly cold, with temperatures in valleys around or below minus 10°, but warming will gradually occur during the day and continue into Saturday.