The weather in Austria has taken an unexpected turn this summer. Strong storms swept across the country, causing havoc in several areas. To everyone’s surprise, the following morning revealed a stunning sight – several peaks in the Alpine mountains were covered in a blanket of snow. Images of this unusual phenomenon quickly spread across the internet, capturing the attention of people worldwide.
While snowfall at high altitudes is not uncommon in Austria, even in July, the extent of this snowfall was remarkable. From Arlberg to the Mölltal glacier and Gamskopf in Rauris, both in Salzburg, a large part of the high mountains were covered in snow, as reported by the Austrian press.
After the wet and cold conditions that dominated much of Austria on Tuesday and Wednesday, the weather calmed down on Thursday. The sky was overcast in the early morning hours in Vorarlberg and Carinthia, but no rain was forecast in the northern part of the Alps. Maximum temperatures ranged from 20 to 27 degrees Celsius. However, on Friday, the weather is expected to cool down once more.
In Waldviertel and Weinviertel, rain is expected at the beginning of the day, but the sun will timidly make an appearance later. However, in the afternoon, storms are predicted around the main alpine ridge. The evening will bring heavy rain to Vorarlberg and Tyrol, accompanied by strong gusts of wind. Meteorologists have issued an orange warning level for heavy rain and thunderstorms.
Jessica Spengler, a meteorology specialist, explained that there are storm warnings for the entire Austria. The regions currently in the path of the storms are Vorarlberg, Tyrol, and Pinzgau. The main danger being lightning strikes and the possibility of significant amounts of rainfall in a short period.
The regions most at risk of storms, hail, heavy rain, and gusts of wind are in the southern part of the country, specifically from Eastern Tyrol, through Carinthia and Styria, to southern and central Burgenland.
It seems that the weather in Austria this summer is full of surprises, but despite the unexpected snowfall and stormy conditions, the country remains resilient.
