Forecasters warned of heavy snowfall along a belt stretching from Elbląg through Olsztyn and Płock to Warsaw and Radom. The most intense snowfall is expected in eastern Pomerania and the western part of the Warmia and Mazury regions, where third-degree weather alerts are in force and snow cover could increase by up to 60 cm.
Further south, snowfall is forecast to weaken, with areas around Warsaw expecting locally no more than 20 cm. Snowfall is expected to ease by around midday.
In mountainous regions from Bielsko-Biala to Ustrzyki Dolne, blizzards and snowdrifts are forecast due to snowfall combined with winds averaging up to 40 km/h and gusting to 65 km/h.
Poland’s General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways said all national roads remain passable, with 2,221 units of winter maintenance equipment deployed over the past 24 hours.
Slush and icy conditions have been reported in several regions, including Pomerania, Warmian-Masurian, Mazovia, Kuyavian-Pomeranian, Swietokrzyskie, Lublin and Malopolskie provinces. Snow and sleet is expected across most of the country, except in the Podlaskie and Lubuskie regions. Road authorities urged drivers to exercise caution.
A further inter-agency crisis meeting is scheduled for 9:00 am, with updated reports to be presented by multiple sectors, Deputy Interior Minister Wieslaw Szczepanski said. Police chief Marek Boron added that additional officers will be deployed on roads today and tomorrow.
(tf)
Source: IAR