The much anticipated colder, snowier pattern has emerged and progresses south, southwestwards into central and southern Europe. Stopping it from spreading westwards is a very strong ridge anchored over the British Isles which reached record strength as we greeted 2019. This pressure pattern has resulted in a rather mundane Christmas to New Year period here but for parts of Europe, a wild one.

It’s coincidence that the turn to colder is directly related to the late December SSW and split which occurred around the 2nd. Upper level winds are turning easterly and with the positioning of the twin vortexes, we’re in a good place for some very impressive winter conditions during the second half of January.

Interesting times.

The split of the Stratospheric Polar Vortex is now taking place. pic.twitter.com/Og3HXb9u3X

— Michael Ventrice (@MJVentrice) January 6, 2019

Always a great chart to see when the #SSW splits the polar vortex, with the zonal-mean zonal winds at an easterly now. Interested to see what the rest of winter holds for the Northern Hemisphere… pic.twitter.com/hmbO4KsSql

— Ollie Millin ⚡️ (@MillinMan1) January 6, 2019

Atmosphere and geography merge to produce spectacular snowfall

Between the the strong positive anchored over the UK and deep negative over Greece is a feed of bitter cold air driven by powerful northerly winds. As Atlantic/Mediterranean collides meets incoming polar/Siberian and is forcing to rise, incredible orographic snowfall rates and totals occur along particularly the northern flank of the Austrian and Swiss Alps as well as the mountains of Poland.

An incredibly thick snow in Przedni Staw lake in Tatras national park, Poland on Jan 5th – thanks to Urszula Gizicka for the report! Photos via @LovePoland pic.twitter.com/0N5mnnUNxN

— severe-weather.EU (@severeweatherEU) January 6, 2019

Huge amounts of snow in north Austria above Salzburg today, January 6. Report: Info meteo pic.twitter.com/L0ozCGfbza

— severe-weather.EU (@severeweatherEU) January 6, 2019

Huge amounts of snow in Hala Gasienicowa, Poland (Tatras) yesterday, January 6. Report via Petrich Greblo. pic.twitter.com/A3UAnTNWun

— severe-weather.EU (@severeweatherEU) January 6, 2019

When getting the phone you left in your car is a 2-hour operation. Mühlbach am Höchkönig, Austria this morning, January 6. Report: Thomas Leitner / @AWOETeam pic.twitter.com/P9q0fX5hVo

— severe-weather.EU (@severeweatherEU) January 6, 2019

The mountains of Greece were also hammered.

Big snow in Eptalofos, Phocis, Greece (832 m) yesterday, January 5. Report: Νάσσο Δράκο / @Arahovameteo.gr pic.twitter.com/sCzpvL7yqx

— severe-weather.EU (@severeweatherEU) January 6, 2019

While the Alps get slammed, polar air has made made it out over the Med and Adriatic bringing snow to the beaches.

Adriatic sea-effect snow on the beach in Torre Lapillo (Le), Puglia, south Italy yesterday, January 5. Report: Daniele Guerrieri / Meteopuglia in Foto pic.twitter.com/fLbSzK8Db7

— severe-weather.EU (@severeweatherEU) January 6, 2019

Great view of snow covered Ioannina city, Greece yesterday morning, Jan 5th – report via @MetarGr pic.twitter.com/ImdsiwxKjc

— severe-weather.EU (@severeweatherEU) January 6, 2019

Petralia Soprana, Sicily yesterday, January 5. Photo: Luca Sabatino / @WeatherSicily pic.twitter.com/ejmqpbDMRh

— severe-weather.EU (@severeweatherEU) January 6, 2019

Yep, the cold even made it into Libya.

Snow also in Albayda, N Libya at 700 m ASL as Arctic outbreak pushed into far SSE Mediterranean – thanks to Mohammed Yafren for the report! pic.twitter.com/fequVcJbHj

— severe-weather.EU (@severeweatherEU) January 6, 2019

With powerful bitter northerly winds crossing a steep west-east mountain chain, you get some amazing variation in weather with relatively short distance.

Bitter cold and heavy snow on the north side but on the leeward south side, those strong winds cross over the ridges and descend the southern flank. As the air travels downslope, it compresses, drying it and heating it to very comfortable levels.

Now that we’re seeing the tropospheric response and interaction, the modelling is now seeing what has been suggested here all along.

With our atmosphere now in reverse, look for the ridge currently over the UK to be positioned over Greenland and where the cold trough is now, that should be over the UK and near continent in 6-10 days from now.

Check out the latest run of the CFSv2 weeklies.

Still some ways to go and things can still change for better or worse but it’s looking promising from a forecast point of view.

FEATURED IMAGE: Petrich Greblo

Tags: easterly, polar vortex, strat warming