Snow and mud: “A lot to shovel in the next few days”

As announced, Thursday morning got off to an extremely uncomfortable start. Many drivers had to be patient on the way to work: many vehicles got stuck on the slippery roads. In some places, fallen trees blocked the path. The state fire brigade command recorded around 40 operations between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. alone, mainly for vehicle salvage. Since yesterday, most of the precipitation has fallen in the Mühlviertel and along the Danube from Schärding to Linz, according to GeoSphere Austria.

There one warns of a period of precipitation. A north-west to north current will bring humid air to the Alps through the middle of next week, leading to persistent snow and rain. In the southern Bergland it should continue to snow on Thursday, while the precipitation in the lower Mühlviertel pauses. “People have time there in the afternoon to shovel away the snow,” says meteorologist Josef Haslhofer. Because in the night on Friday announces again heavy snowfall. In addition, there are gusts of wind up to 80 km/h, which blow the snow away.

“Even over the weekend it looks like there will be a lot of precipitation,” says Haslhofer. In the Salzkammergut and in the Pyhrn-Eisenwurzen region, one meter of fresh snow could also come together in the valleys. The danger is that this will not be powdery but wet. Trees could collapse under the heavy load, which in turn can lead to road closures on higher streets. The avalanche danger also increases.

• The weather in your region: A detailed forecast, current readings and webcams can be found at nachrichten.at/wetter.

Geosphere Austria advises for the affected areas in the south of the country:

• Avoid unnecessary car trips. Otherwise make sure you have enough fuel, warm clothing and drinks.
• Be aware of the danger of roof avalanches.
• Avoid avenues, parks with trees and forests.
• Obtain information about the current traffic situation.
• Pay attention to avalanche reports.
• Take precautions in the event of a power failure.
• Follow the instructions of the responsible authorities and take the warnings seriously.