Heavy showers in nine counties; snow to cover half of Romania Tuesday afternoon

The National Weather Administration (ANM) issued a code orange warning for heavy showers valid through 23:00hrs in nine northern and western counties and two code yellow warnings for snow and blowing snow for more than half of Romania. According to the meteorologists, on Tuesday between 15:00hrs-23:00hrs, in the mountain areas of the counties of Cluj, Salaj, Bihor, Arad, Timis, Hunedoara, Maramures, Bistrita-Nasaud and Caras-Severin a code orange for heavy showers of up to 40-50 l/sq.m. will be in place. At the same time, February 4 from 13:00hrs - February 5, 08:00hrs, during the first code yellow warning, in places of 28 counties, winds will pick up speed, significant amounts of precipitation are expected, as well as blowing snow, especially at elevations of over 1,700 meters. Tuesday, February 4, it will rain on extended areas in the west, northwest and centre parts of Romania, while in the mountains there will be mixed rainfall. On Tuesday night, in the intra-Carpathian regions, rain will gradually turn into sleet and snow, while in the mountains and in northern Moldavia snowfall will predominate. Precipitation will exceed 20-25 l /sq.m. even 35-40 l/sq.m in some instances. Winds will pick up speed in the western and central regions, with speeds generally of 55-65 km/h. In the mountainous areas, especially at high elevations gusts of over 90-100 km/h are to be expected and even blizzards. Gusts in excess of 50-55 km/h are also expected in southern Oltenia. Ground frost should also be expected. According to ANM, a second code yellow warning will come into effect on Wednesday, at 08:00hrs, to be valid for three quarters of Romania, Bucharest City included, until Thursday morning. In the eastern regions, there will be precipitation, at first snowfall in the mountain areas and in northern Moldavia, and mainly rain and sleet in the remaining areas, while in the evening and at night snow will predominate. In the mountains, in the northern and central areas of Moldavia, as well as in the evening in southern Moldavia, Dobrogea and most of Muntenia there will be snow that will stick. Blowing snow will reduce visibility. Gusts will exceed 60-70 km/h, and even 90-100 km/h in the mountain areas. In the second part of Wednesday (February 5) and in the first part of the Wednesday night, the wind will be intense in the western and central regions, with gusts exceeding 55-60 km/h. ANM is expected to update its code yellow warning on February 5 in the morning. AGERPRES ( RO - author: Daniel Badea, editor: Oana Tilica; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor; Adina Panaitescu)