Mount Sněžka, the Czech Republic’s highest peak standing at 1,603 meters, experienced hurricane-force winds on Monday as nature unleashed its raw power. The meteorological station at Poštovna recorded gusts exceeding 127 kilometers per hour, surpassing the hurricane threshold of 118 kilometers per hour on the Beaufort scale.
While the station’s sensors initially reported an extraordinary gust of 270 kilometers per hour (75 meters per second), officials confirmed this was a measurement error, similar to a false reading recorded in January 2019. The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute’s data disputed these extreme readings.
For perspective, the mountain’s official wind speed record stands at 223 kilometers per hour, set on February 23, 2020, on the Polish side. The Czech side’s record was established during Hurricane Kyrill in January 2007, with gusts reaching 216 kilometers per hour.
The severe weather conditions have forced the closure of both the upper section of the Sněžka cable car and the Medvědín cable car. Despite its relatively modest altitude, Sněžka’s distinctive triangular peak, rising above the Krkonoše mountain range, creates unique arctic and alpine climate conditions that often differ from the surrounding area.
The recent storm has also brought significant snowfall, with 15 centimeters of fresh snow reported on the mountain’s highest ridges.