Warning for snowfall and rain across Bulgaria on Christmas Day

On December 25, minimum temperatures in Bulgaria will range from minus 1°C to 4°C. During the day, the cooling will continue and by around 2:00 p.m. temperatures will range from minus 4°C in the northwestern regions to 5–7°C in the southeastern parts of the country.

In Sofia, highs will reach 2°C.

As early as overnight, rain in the northwestern part of the country, the Fore-Balkan region, and the high fields of Western Bulgaria will turn into snow. There will be snowdrifts and blizzards on the mountain passes of the Balkan Range.

During the day, snow will also fall in the central parts of Northern Bulgaria and the Ludogorie region. Snowdrifts and the formation of a snow cover are expected on high-altitude roads in Southern Bulgaria as well.

In the remaining areas, precipitation will be mainly rain. In the central northern and northeastern parts of the country, conditions for ice formation will occur. In many places, especially in the western half of the country, significant amounts of precipitation are expected. A moderate to strong wind will blow from the east-northeast.

Along the Black Sea coast, it will be cloudy and rainy. A strong northeasterly wind will blow. Maximum air temperatures will be between 7 and 9°C. Sea water temperatures are 11–12°C. The sea will be rough, with waves of 4–5 on the Beaufort scale.

In the mountains, it will be cloudy with heavy snowfall. A moderate to strong wind will blow from the east-southeast. There will be conditions for blizzards and snowdrifts on mountain passes. The maximum temperature at an altitude of 1,200 meters will be around minus 1°C, and at 2,000 meters around minus 3°C.

On Friday, the second day of the Christmas holiday, cloudiness will remain mostly significant. The wind will weaken and shift to the northwest. Minimum temperatures will range between minus 5 and 0°C, and maximum temperatures between 1 and 6°C.

Across the Balkans, it will be cloudy with rainfall, and in mountainous areas - and with the intrusion of cold air from the north - increasingly snowfall. Significant amounts of precipitation are expected in the eastern half of the peninsula.

In Athens temperatures will reach up to 18°C, in Belgrade 3°C, in Bucharest down to minus 1°C, and in Istanbul up to 13°C.

Edited by Ivo Ivanov