First snow fall in the Czech mountains ushers in colder temperatures this week

Snow has already started falling in some mountain areas in the Czech Republic, and temperatures are expected to remain colder throughout the week. A snowstorm that has been heading through Germany will spill across the border. The recent warm ‘babí léto’ weather is not expected back anytime soon

Last night, the first snowflakes of the season fell on Šerák in the Jeseníky Mountains, and freezing rain was reported on Lysá hora in the Beskydy Mountains. The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ) tweeted pictures of snow on Luční Bouda in the Krkonoše Mountains.

The ČHMÚ forecast calls for mixed rain and snow at elevations above 800 meters during Tuesday in the northwest of the country, with the weather system heading to the southeast by Tuesday evening. Snowflakes will likely continue to fall in the Jeseníky Mountains.

The snow should reach its lower limit of 700 meters above sea level on Wednesday, and during the day the border will start to rise again to 1,000 meters above sea level. But it could snow at high elevations for the whole week.

For Wednesday, the lowest night temperatures should be 4 degrees to 0 degrees Celsius, with the ground occasionally freezing. The highest daily temperatures are expected to be between 7 to 11 degrees, and at 1,000 meters in the mountains around 3 degrees.

Thursday should continue to be cloudy, and initially partly cloudy in the eastern half of the country.

In most areas, there will be rain or showers, and over 900 meters there will be mixed precipitation or snow. In the evening the precipitation should decrease. The lowest night temperatures will be 5 degrees to 1 degree, and in the east down to -1 degree. The highest daily temperatures again will be 7 to 11 degrees.

The rain on Friday should clear up, with occasional showers in the north. Mixed precipitation or show should be above 1,00 meters. The lowest night temperatures should range between 7 to 3 degrees, and the highest daily temperatures 11 to 15 degrees.

Clearing should continue into Saturday with partly cloudy to cloudy skies. Temperatures should be lower than on Friday, with night lows at 5 degrees to 1 degree and daytime highs at 9 to 13 degrees.

Sunday should be partly cloudy to clear, with occasional fog or low clouds. The lowest night temperatures are expected to be 4 to 0 degrees, with ground frost in places. Daytime highs should reach 9 to 13 degrees.

Snow in the mountains in October is fairly normal. At times, it has even snowed as early as the first half of September. There was snow on Labská bouda in the Krkonoše Mountains on Sept. 14, 1996, and on Lysá hora on Sept. 9, 1971.

Snowflakes usually don’t reach the middle altitudes until the beginning of November and the lowlands until the end of November.