Arctic cold will grip Europe after the holidays, a harsh January is approaching

Enjoy the mild and warm Christmas, because immediately after the holidays the weather is preparing to turn 180 degrees. Forecasters warn that at the beginning of January, a powerful Arctic wave will descend on Europe, which could bring the harshest winter conditions in years. The reason for the approaching frost is a combination of two factors - a weakened polar vortex and the climate phenomenon La Niña.

According to several meteorological services, the polar vortex - a huge mass of icy air, which usually "stays locked" over the Arctic - is currently unstable. The reason is a sudden stratospheric warming that occurred at the end of November. When this happens, the walls of the icy vortex "tear" and the cold air spills south to our latitudes. The result: extreme cold, heavy snowfall and potentially dangerous conditions.

Warm Christmas, but icy January and February

The forecasts are categorical that the Christmas period will remain relatively mild for most of Europe, with temperatures even above the seasonal average. However, this pleasant vacation will be short-lived. "The change will come immediately after the holidays," the Serbian edition B92 quotes meteorological models. According to them, January and February will bring extreme cold, with temperatures in some regions potentially dropping 8 to 15 degrees below normal.

The picture is also complicated by La Niña – a climate phenomenon in which the waters of the Pacific Ocean are colder than usual, which disrupts the weather around the world. La Niña is expected to continue until February 2026, creating the perfect conditions for prolonged cold periods.

What weather is expected for Bulgaria?

Unfortunately, Bulgaria will not be spared by the Arctic cold. Forecasts for the country indicate that the influx of cold air will be felt most strongly during the first ten days of January. Temperatures in the plains and cities are expected to drop to minus 10-15 degrees, and in some mountainous areas even lower. There will also be conditions for heavy snowfall, especially in Northern and Western Bulgaria. The authorities are warning of an increased risk of black ice, drifts and a complicated road situation, so drivers should be prepared for severe winter conditions.

How will the cold affect Europe?

Northern and Central Europe are expected to be the most affected by the cold wave - Scandinavia, Great Britain, Germany and Poland, where prolonged periods of negative temperatures and heavy snowfall are predicted. In Great Britain and Ireland, rare strong frosts for these countries are possible, with temperatures down to minus 3-5 degrees. In Central Europe, the thermometers can drop to minus 7 degrees in the populated areas, and in the Alps - even lower.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) notes that similar anomalies with the polar vortex are also observed over North America, which confirms that this is a global phenomenon. European forecasters warn not just of the cold, but of real risks of transport chaos, freezing of parts of the infrastructure and a sharp increase in energy consumption, as the continent enters perhaps one of its coldest winters in recent years.