Meteorologists have expanded their weather warnings to include both black ice and significant snowfall across the Czech Republic. The northwestern half of the country is bracing for up to 15 centimeters of fresh snow by Thursday evening.
The snowfall, which began Wednesday morning, will primarily affect the Karlovy Vary, Ústí nad Labem, and Liberec regions, as well as parts of Central Bohemia and Plzeň regions. Weather experts predict accumulations between 8 and 15 centimeters by Thursday evening.
Adding to the winter weather concerns, forecasters have expanded their black ice warnings for the southwestern half of the country. Prague, along with the Plzeň and South Bohemian regions, as well as parts of Vysočina, Central Bohemia, and South Moravia, are all under alert. The hazardous conditions are expected to persist from Wednesday noon through Thursday afternoon.
The current weather pattern is influenced by a warm front associated with a low-pressure system over Western Europe. While snowfall initially dominated, some areas began experiencing a transition to rain Wednesday morning, creating perfect conditions for black ice formation on cold surfaces.
Looking ahead, the northern half of the country should expect intermittent snowfall continuing through Thursday evening, with additional light snow expected on Friday, though accumulations are not expected to be significant.