Weather: Rain Will Change to Snow, Forming a New Layer of Snow

Bulgaria is set to face a mix of heavy rain, flood risks, strong winds, cold snaps, snowfall, and the formation of new snow cover over the coming days.

During the night, rainfall will spread to eastern Bulgaria, including the Black Sea coast. The heaviest precipitation is expected in the southernmost regions, where thunderstorms may also occur. Elsewhere, strong southerly winds will continue, but colder air from the northwest will begin to move in. By tonight, rain in the mountain regions of western Bulgaria—and tomorrow across much of the southwest—will turn to snow, forming a fresh layer of snow cover.

In the Upper Thracian Plain and eastern Bulgaria, precipitation will remain as rain. Winds will shift to northwesterly almost everywhere, becoming moderate to strong, reaching the Black Sea coast last. Maximum daytime temperatures will range between 3°C and 11°C, with Sofia around 4°C. Rainfall will gradually ease in the evening, beginning in the western regions.

In the mountains, strong and gusty southerly winds will continue, accompanied by precipitation. The snow line is expected to drop to approximately 1,200 metres. Heavy snowfalls are forecast for the western and southwestern mountain ranges, with blizzard conditions and snowdrifts possible along mountain passes.

Across Western Europe, rain is also expected, with northern Spain experiencing a drop in temperatures and snow replacing rain in some areas. The Mediterranean cyclone responsible for Bulgaria’s precipitation is moving eastward across the Balkans and will continue to bring rain mainly to the central and eastern parts of the peninsula tomorrow.

For Bulgaria, winds will weaken overnight into Wednesday, cloud cover will decrease, and minimum temperatures will fall sharply. Some sunshine is expected before midday, but cloud will build rapidly in the afternoon, first over western Bulgaria, with rain returning overnight into Thursday, turning to snow above 1,000 metres.

Thursday and Friday will see mixed rain and snow across much of the country. By Saturday, precipitation will be largely confined to southern Bulgaria, accompanied by a further drop in temperatures.