Cold Wave Continues to Impact Central and Eastern Europe

Affected by the eastward and southward movement of a cold vortex (Figure 1), it is expected that from April 6 to 7, central and eastern Europe will continue to experience strong winds, temperature drop, and heavy snow. Temperatures  are anticipated to drop by 8 to 14 degrees Celsius from northern to southern part of these regions, with some areas in Ukraine, Romania, and Montenegro experiencing temperature decreases exceeding 16 degrees Celsius (Figures 2 and 3). Most of these regions will also be accompanied by winds of 4 to 6 on the Beaufort scale, with gusts reaching 7 to 9 levels, and locally, gusts could reach around 11 levels (Figure 4). Parts of western Russia, eastern Belarus, northern Ukraine, and northern Balkan Peninsula are expected to suffer  blizzards (Figure 5).

Figure 1: 500 hPa Average Geopotential Height (Contour Lines) and 850 hPa Wind Field (Wind Barbs, Shaded Areas Indicate Wind Speed) at 08:00, April 7, 2025

Figure 2: 24-hour Temperature Change at 2 meters above ground level as of 20:00 on April 6, 2025 (Unit: °C)

Figure 3: 24-hour Temperature Change at 2 meters above Ground Level as of 20:00 on April 7, 2025 (Unit: °C)

Figure 4: Maximum Gust Wind Speed for 24 Hours at 20:00 on April 7, 2025 (Unit: m/s)

Figure 5: Forecast of Accumulated Rain and Snowfall from 20:00 on April 6 to 20:00 on April 7, 2025 (Unit: mm)

Author: Xu Chengpeng                                 Reviewer: Zhou Ningfang 

English reviewer:Wang Yi                                                                        Issue approver:Dai Kan