In the frame of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) Climate Watch System, the Regional Climate Centre (RCC) Offenbach Node on Climate Monitoring provides regularly climate monitoring products and services for the regions Europe and Middle East.
A Climate Watch Advisory was issued by the WMO RCC for the regions Europe and Middle East about the cold spell expected over most of Europe from the 15th of March 2018 to the 26th March 2018:
A period with significantly below-normal temperatures (cold spell) at least for this and the next week is expected for most parts of Europe (from Iberia to Greece and from Ireland to Russia including northern Turkey). The coldest days are expected for the next days with weekly temperature anomalies below -6°C expected in Central Europe, the Balkans, Northern Europe and the Baltic States. Depending on local situations the daily anomalies can go below these limits. Daily minimum temperatures are expected to be below 0°C even in the south. The probability for this temperature anomaly is estimated to be above 90% for the first and second week.
This cold period with surface frost could freeze the developing crops and fruits and could be a risk of life for vulnerable people exposed to the cold.
