The chill in the air is more than just a fleeting cold snap; a significant snow event is looming over Lithuania. This isn’t a surprising, out-of-the-blue weather anomaly. Instead, it mirrors the challenging conditions experienced in Zemaitija back in January, a situation that seems poised to make a comeback. Back then, within hours, snowdrifts accumulated, visibility plummeted, and roads became treacherous, leaving many stranded. Now, all signs point to a powerful reprise of this winter drama.
Why This Snowfall Is Different (and More Dangerous)
The approaching precipitation is not scattered; it’s a widespread, organized weather system. This kind of widespread front is particularly problematic, as it leaves no windows for respite. Instead, a substantial area will be blanketed simultaneously. If the temperature hovers around zero degrees Celsius, many regions will experience a mix of snow, sleet, and even rain in some places. This is the worst-case scenario for road surfaces, as they can rapidly transition from wet to a sheet of ice.
Should the temperature drop below freezing, the snow will become lighter and drier, but this introduces a new threat: blizzards and drifting snow. Roads can become impassable not because of ice, but due to wind-blown snow obscuring them completely.
The Zemaitija Echo: A Familiar Danger
The danger in Zemaitija in January wasn’t solely about the volume of snow. The real threat was the dynamic nature of the storm: precipitation intensified rapidly, winds began to whip the falling snow, and visibility dropped so drastically that even short journeys became perilous. In such conditions, road conditions deteriorate with alarming speed. You might set off when conditions seem manageable, only to find yourself in a completely different reality just thirty minutes later.
Today, we’re seeing the same pattern emerge: an approaching precipitation zone, strengthening winds, mixed precipitation in some areas, followed by heavier snow and drifting. This means that the worst situations in Lithuania often develop not over an entire day, but in the critical period when the snowfall intensifies and the wind starts to lift it from the ground.
Where the Impact Will Be Felt Most
In these types of weather events, Lithuania rarely experiences a uniform impact. One part of the country might be dominated by snow, another by sleet, and a third by brief spells of rain. This directly affects the risks on the road. Mixed precipitation is particularly insidious, creating a thin, slippery layer that, as temperatures drop, freezes into black ice.
Conversely, where dry snow falls, the main concern will be drifting snow, snow buildup, and rapidly decreasing visibility. When snow falls heavily and the wind whips it around, some roads become difficult to traverse not because they aren’t being cleared, but because they are being snowed in faster than they can physically be kept clear.
In such conditions, the most dangerous are exposed stretches, overpasses, exits from cities into open fields, and areas where the wind can create a “corridor.” These are precisely the spots where the situation in Zemaitija deteriorated most rapidly back in January. This coming wave in Lithuania looks like a reenactment of what we’ve already witnessed: rapid intensification, snowdrifts, worsening visibility, and roads that transform beyond recognition in a short period. If the January episode was a lesson, it appears winter is now here to repeat it.
The Immediate Forecast:
- Friday Night: Precipitation in many areas, primarily snow and sleet. Fog, freezing rain, and black ice in some locations. Some blowing snow in the north. Winds from the east, 6–11 m/s, gusting to 12–14 m/s in places. Low temperatures ranging from 0–5°C, down to -7°C in some areas.
- Friday Day: Snow and sleet, with rain in southern regions. Heavy snowfall and blowing snow in the north, with blizzards possible. Localized freezing rain, black ice, and wet snow accumulations. Winds are northeast to east, shifting to south, 8–13 m/s, with gusts of 15–17 m/s in places. High temperatures from -1°C to 4°C, with -2°C to -7°C in the north.
- Saturday: Widespread precipitation, with lighter amounts during the day. Black ice is expected. Winds will change direction at night, becoming northerly to northwesterly at 6–11 m/s during the day. Temperatures will range from -5°C to -10°C at night and during the day, potentially reaching -13°C, with 0°C to -4°C in southeastern districts.
- Sunday: No significant precipitation expected. Black ice is likely. Winds will be northerly, 4–9 m/s. Temperatures will be frigid, -13°C to -18°C at night, potentially dropping to -23°C in some areas, and -8°C to -13°C during the day.
Sources: Windy.com, Meteo.lt
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