White Christmas?

Styria: Snow in the north and storms in the south

Christmas Eve is just around the corner and with it the annual question of the white Christmas miracle. While expectations are high in many places, the second half of the country will have to make do with plus temperatures. The meteorologist provides an overview.

The people of Styria are already eagerly awaiting Christmas - and the youngest are asking themselves one question in particular: will it snow on Christmas Eve? Unfortunately, Ubimet meteorologist Martin Templin cannot give a comprehensive yes. But the chances are very good, at least in Upper Styria. Sunday already brought fresh snow here - especially in the Mürztal valley and the Aflenz basin, and the Reiteralm mountain railroads also posted photos from the winter paradise. In many places, such as on the Kreuzberg (B21), the Präbichl (B115), the Teichalm (L320) and the Pogusch (L123), chains were made compulsory for trucks.

"There will be widespread snow in the night to Monday, probably even in Graz," reports Templin. In the north, the winter weather will then step up a gear again on Monday: "From Monday afternoon until late evening on Tuesday, 30 to 50 centimetres of snow could fall in Ausseerland," says Templin. "So there will definitely be a white Christmas in Upper Styria." The meteorologist gives guarantees for Bad Mitterndorf, Aigen im Ennstal, Gröbming and Ramsau am Dachstein.

But not for southern and eastern Styria. This is because the "Nordstau" is holding back the precipitation north of the main Alpine ridge, meaning that the provincial capital should also experience a dry Christmas. "It will be rather stormy in these regions," explains Templin. From the Graz basin to the Fischbach Alps, the Föhn wind will push temperatures up. Across Styria, they will range between -2 and +7 degrees from Monday to Thursday.