Snow is expected to fall on Prague by the end of this week

Czech folklore says that St. Martin arrives on a white horse, meaning that the first snow should fall across the Czech lands shortly after Nov. 11, the feast day of St. Martin. According to the latest forecast, it looks like the folk saying will ring true this year.

While it may be too early to predict whether or not we can expect a white Christmas, snow should appear by the end of this week in lower altitudes across the Czech Republic, including Prague.

Temperatures should dip below freezing most nights and even on occasion during the day this week, according to the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ).

On Monday, a cold front will bring the onset of winter weather to the Czech Republic. In the mountains, over 10 cm of snow is set to fall in a single day, but the first flakes won't reach the lower regions of the Czech Republic until later this week.

"In the Krkonoše and Jeseníky mountains, over 10 cm of new snow could fall today," ČHMÚ said on Twitter this morning.

So when will the first snowflakes fall on the streets of Prague? Meteorologists predict snowfall in the Czech capital on Friday, but first clouds and fog.

On Monday, the highest temperatures in Prague will reach 5°C to 7°C. At night temps will fall below zero, down to minus three degrees.

Tuesdays and Wednesdays will bring sunnier days but with daytime temperatures hovering close to zero, and dropping to freezing at night. Wednesday should be the warmest day of the week with cloudless skies and the highest daily temperatures between 5°C to 7°C. 

Thursday will see daily temperatures slightly drop to between 1°C to 3°C with temps falling at night to -4°C. Clouds and occasional freezing fog are expected by ČHMÚ.

These chilly conditions will make way for the first snowflakes to fall on the Czech capital on Friday. But it shouldn't stick; weekend weather will see showers and temperatures rising a couple of degrees during the day.

While folklore says a cloudy St. Martin's day is also supposed to foretell a mild winter, clear skies are said to predict a harsher one. While Nov. 11 was cloudy this year, predictions of extreme winter weather remain to be seen.

But meteorologists are already predicting that winters in Europe will change in the coming decade, including winters in the Czech lands. The weather portal Severe Weather EU reports that due to global warming, snow will become less frequent, however when it does snow, intense blizzards could become the norm.