After a period of above-average warm weather, which in many parts of Europe resembled early summer with temperatures approaching 25 °C, a sharp change awaits us. The latest forecasts speak of an invasion of cold arctic air, which will bring a noticeable cooling to Central Europe from Tuesday, April 21. informs .
A huge pressure high over Scandinavia will play a key role in this process. It will block the flow of warm oceanic air from the Atlantic and allow a frosty air mass originating from Russia to penetrate our regions along its eastern edge. In Slovakia, we will feel this change already at the beginning of the new working week. While on Sunday, April 19, the daily highs will still climb to a pleasant 20 °C, on Monday they will drop to around 15 °C.
The Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMÚ) confirms the announced cooling, but adds that, given the April calendar, it will rather be a return to the long-term normal. Extreme manifestations in the form of snowfall do not threaten us yet, but residents should prepare for night and morning frosts. In the coldest locations in Slovakia, temperatures can drop to -1 °C.
It is the night frosts in combination with the predicted severe cooling that pose the greatest threat to Central European agriculture. The previous warm days have significantly accelerated the vegetation and many trees are already in full bloom. This is a critical period for fruit growers and winegrowers, as even a mild frost can irreversibly damage sensitive flowers and young shoots. If a stronger wind is added to the low temperatures, the feeling temperature will decrease even more and frost damage can be devastating for the crop.
While Slovakia and Central Europe will mainly struggle with a drop in temperatures and morning frosts, the more southern regions of the continent will experience a real extreme. The tongue of cold air will bring to the Balkans and Italy not only a drop in daily maximums by 10 to 15 degrees, but also storms, hail or the return of snowfall to lower mountain areas.
However, meteorologists point out that spring is an extremely dynamic period and the models can still be adjusted slightly. The definitive intensity of cooling in our country will depend on the exact trajectory of this Arctic air flow.
