While the European cold pool may have lost it’s extreme, the after effects remain. While Atlantic air is moderating the UK eastward across Germany, Poland into Russia, all the cold air which has built up in the past week to 10 days has essentially sloshed and bottled up across Southern Europe thanks to building heights over top.

Notice this in the below temperature maps.

Yesterday’s low

Current

Upcoming 5-day mean 2m temperature anomaly.

So why the major snows? Low pressure spinning over the western and central Mediterranean is throwing mild, moist air into this pool of cold air and that’s why we’ve seen big snows over interior Spain, Pyrenees and Alps and we’re going to see additional big snows for eastern Italy and the Balkans with the return of bora winds and sea effect.

Even southeast Spain could see significant snow as colder air moves in thanks to a sprawling high to the north and low to the SE which is pulling the air in from the continent.

Check out the GFS surface and snow forecast

Watch this morning’s video.