First topic message reminder :

its snowing here in Burgas, has not stopped all day.
where are you in BG &
are you having snow?

[size=75:2b23kd9u]Sofia echo 20 December 2009


Stay home or use the train, authorities call

Traffic police and the Civil Protection Service have called upon people not to travel in the coming days or, if absolutely necessary, to use the train because of deteriorating weather conditions.

Massive snowfall started in the early hours of December 20 2009 in western Bulgaria, threatening to block roads in the first days of the holiday period.

Although there are still three official working days ahead, many Bulgarians are expected to travel in the days before Christmas.

Rainfall which started in southern and eastern Bulgaria was expected to turn into snow in the afternoon, causing more difficulties for travelers who have decided to travel by car.

As reported by The Sofia Echo, many snow cleaning companies have difficulties performing their duties because of a lack of funds, which could leave a number of second and third class roads unattended.

Bit grim here. Started raining ice earlier.

Now it's turned to snow and about minus 15

Slight snow here, can't see the fells, too grey.

Most of the roads here are very icy I don't think I've seen the gritters around at all yet but this is Goron Browns way of saving money

Hello Sarah I think the winter seems to have come to the uk early this year I don't know what others think but I would have thought that the cold weather here in the uk should have been here in January or later

[size=75:2e4wea00]Dnevnik 20 December 2009

Ice and floods paralyzed the country


Snow, Ice, rain and floods on Sunday sealed the country. In no area was declared a state of emergency, but the situation was complicated, over 200 villages were without electricity. According to weather forecasts to the situation today is even more severe because of the sharp drop in temperatures.

Shoumen region traffic has been blocked and there were restrictions put on trucks. Rain alternating with snow, causing frost, from the Civil Defense said. And everywhere in Dobrich region was frozen. There throughout the day strong hail snow, from Agency Road Infrastructure (API) estimated that today will probably be closed roads.
Due to torrential rain the river near the town of White out of bed and flooded the road Varna - Burgas, which was closed.

The rain continued there throughout the day and the Civil Defense warned that in both directions has fallen branches and trees that impede further movement. Municipality of Varna has warned that it expected lower temperatures, leading to ice, and urged citizens not to travel out of town and can not go out of their homes. In Bourgas emergency teams drainage houses throughout the day due to torrential rains as some quarters of the city remained without electricity. In the rain flooded road Yambol Sliven.

Since yesterday morning, is prohibited movement of trucks on the road Rousse - Byala. API warned of the danger of floods and landslides of rock in mountain passes.
The situation in Sofia, where overnight snow was pre-crisis. Urban transport delayed, many of the major streets were not cleaned and icy, but the stops were inaccessible. According to the mayor Yordanka Fandakova throughout Sunday night against the processing of the streets is not spiral. "
The situation will be severe and winter.

Our task will be to control the companies to do their job. We expect the situation is complicated because, in addition to rain snow and rain. Temperatures will fall and there is great danger of the ice. "
These projected Fandakova, after meeting with the companies responsible for cleaning the snow.

Meanwhile in "
Facebook"
is born group called "
Snow is a sipe fandatsi"
which is "
inspired by the snow that buried surprisingly Sofia. Fandakova said that the emphasis on cleaning companies should be dangerous and steep sloping areas, subways and bus stations. "
Vatreshnokvartalnite streets will be cleaned,"
said the mayor. She said that people "
should know and expect that there will be problems with ice and be careful.

According to Deputy Mayor for Transport Lyubomir Hristov today will most likely be increased number of cars in urban transport, to enable people to move normally work. Bad weather and difficult work of the Sofia airport, where flights delayed by over two hours. For eight hours yesterday in the emergency room in Traumatology "
Pirogov"
70 people have passed, the hospital said.

Sorry about the translation

[size=55:2iqvhc54]novinite 21 December 2009

Bulgaria Sees Freezing Temperatures, Complex Weather Situation

All of Bulgaria saw temperatures of below -10 degrees Celsius Monday morning with Sofia being the coldest at -14 degrees.

According to the National Meteorology and Hydrology Institute of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the temperatures will remain around 0 degrees throughout the day.

35 villages and towns were without electricity Monday morning as a result of disruptions caused by the inclement weather.

The Civil Protection Service rescued 86 cars stuck in snow drifts around the country, mostly in the north. The south-eastern cities of Burgas, Yambol, and Kardzhali saw minor floods as a result of the rising levels of local rivers.

A warning has been issued over the danger of frozen and slippery roads and potential landslides, especially in the Balkan Mountain passes.

The city of Varna and three north-eastern municipalities Alfatar, Dulovo, and Sitovo have declared an earlier start of the winter break for the local schools over the bad weather.

The Hemus Highway between Varna and Shumen was closed and so were some less major roads around the country.

All flights at Sofia Airport arrive and leave as scheduled.

[size=75:1uwom6i0]Sofia echo 21 December 2009

Towns and villages in Bulgaria suffer white-out

Some 25 regions across Bulgaria were cut off from electricity as a result of sustained snowfall and high winds that have prevailed over the country for the past 48 hours, Civil Protection Services were quoted as saying by Bulgarian media on December 21 2009.

Rescue services have been busy in Bourgas, Yambol and Kurdjali, where they drained water from flooded houses. Around 86 cars buried under snow had been freed. Five people in critical situation were given urgent paramedic treatment and were evacuated to hospitals, reports say.

Cold temperatures are to exceed -19C in northern Bulgaria, whereas in the mountains temperatures are likely to be more extreme. Roads are expected to be covered in ice, visibility will be obscured and more snowfall is expected. Motorists are advised to apply extreme caution when driving.

The Etropole-Zlatitsa, Tvurdika-Elena and Troyan-Kurnare passes are closed for traffic. Lorries with cargo are restricted in areas around Rousse, Bourgas, Shoumen, Turgovishte and Dobrich, according to Dnevnik daily.

Schools in the Varna municipality were closed for classes because of the cold. This decision was followed by three other municipalities in the Silistra region where authorities declared all schools closed for three days.

The Sofia municipality provides shelter to homeless people from the extreme cold, reports say. Meanwhile, Sofia airport for the moment operates normally and no delayed incoming or outgoing flights have been reported.

The nationwide emergency hotline number is 112, while the Sofia Municipality hotline is 987 55 55.

[size=55:3b11dj9h]novinite 25 December 2009

Hurricane-Like Winds Hit Bulgaria's Vratsa

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Winds with speeds up to 22 meters per second hit Bulgaria's northern city of Vratsa early Christmas morning.

The City Hall emergency team reports that there are no injured people, just material damage over fallen trees.

A tree fell at the road exit towards the city of Montana. The Civil Defence employees are working to remove it, but traffic had not been stopped.

Trees have fallen in down town as well, while the winds have blown parts of roofs and have broken Christmas lights and decorations. Some areas of down town have lost power.

The Civil Defence warns about danger from flying objects and broken power lines. All passing through the city Friday are advised to use extreme caution.

[size=55:2jqqjwrx]novinite 25 December 2009

Christmas Brings Record Warmth to Bulgaria

The Bulgarian cities of Vratsa, Veliko Tarnovo, Varna and Kyustendil registered record high temperatures on Christmas Day.

In Vratsa the temperature was 21,2 degrees Celsius. The highest temperature measured there previously was 17,5 degrees in 1995. The warm weather also brought hurricane-like winds to the area, causing some material damage as shown above.

In Veliko Tarnovo the temperature at 2 pm was 17,1 degrees compared to the previous record of 16,6 in 1958. In Varna the thermometer hit 16,4 degrees while the previous record has been 15,7 in 1967. The city of Kyustendil also registered a record 15,4 degrees compared to 15 in 1995.

It was unusually warm in many mountain areas too. The temperature on the Murgash pick was 6,5 degrees Friday while the previous record was set in 1973 5,4 degrees.

Big thaw here ... nearly all the snow has now gone

Last year was around minus 15 on Christmas Day, this year was plus 8!

Gosh strong winds or what

Lets hope the winder is very mild too and the crop actually grows for 2010, so many had bad crop this year.

Pretty much the same here in the UK now Chris - slush everywhere yuck!!

Oddy

After the cold snap Christmas day dawned with a big thaw and temperature of 60F here in central Buglaria! Didn't really like it at all and then it started raining. Very UK weather. However, I hope no-one will be fooled into thinking that its all over. Probably the worst is yet to come in January and February. Snow is so beautiful as long as you have no need to travel.

[size=55:3csbrr4r]Sofia echo 26 December 2009

Christmas temperatures in Bulgaria set records

Six meteorological stations in Bulgaria reported their warmest Christmas Day temperatures ever, Mediapool said.

In Vratsa, the maximum reached 21.2 degrees C, making it the warmest place in Bulgaria on December 25 2009, and beating Vratsas 1995 record of 17.5 degrees.

However, strong winds hit the town, bringing down trees and damaging roofs.

Veliko Turnovo had a maximum 17.1 degrees, beating its 1958 record of 16.6 degrees. Varna, Bulgaria's largest Black Sea coast city, recorded a high of 16.4 degrees, topping the city's 1967 record of 15.7 degrees.

Kyustendil reported a record 15.4 degrees.

On December 26, forecasts for major cities were that Sofia would be nine degrees, and Varna and Plovdiv both 12 degrees.

An avalanche warning for Bulgaria's mountains was repeated. Strong winds were reported to be blowing at altitudes above 2500m.

Weather forecasters said that on December 27, Sofia would have a maximum four degrees, the south-eastern parts of the country nine degrees, while temperatures elsewhere in the country would be slightly cooler. There would be rain throughout the country, forecasters said.

Still cold here, not frosty, wet and miserable.
Lovely bright sunny day yesterday, below freezing but nice day.