First topic message reminder :

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

Bulgaria Anticipates 'White Christmas'

Code yellow has been declared in three southern and eastern regions of Bulgaria for Monday, following forecasts for more downpours.

The forecasts have been issued by the Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, BAS.

Code yellow means potentially dangerous weather, where the forecast is not for unusual meteorological events, but requires people to exercise caution. It is effective in the regions of Yambol, Haskovo, and Burgas, where 15-20 liters of rain per square meter are expected.

Meanwhile, snow is reported in western Bulgaria and in higher elevations. It has accumulated in the Smolyan region in the Rhodoppe Mountains where traffic is impeded.

Forecasters say it is still difficult to predict the exact time of the arrival of snow around the Holidays since the temperatures are low enough, but there isn't moisture sufficient for a heavy blanket. They are nearly certain Bulgarians will have a "
White Christmas"
this year.

The Thursday and Friday forecast, however, calls for snow and those with travel plans for Christmas are advised to exercise caution and check weather reports.

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Bulgaria Welcomes Winter Solstice with Heavy Snowfall

Officially, winter began in Bulgaria, as the winter solstice, marking the year's shortest day and longest night, occurred in Bulgaria around 7:30 am local time on Thursday.

The heavy snowfall that has been covering Southern Bulgaria under the early hours of the day is expected to spread to the northern parts of the country. The South-eastern Bulgarian town of Smolyan has already seen a blanket of snow reaching 10-15 cm, the Bulgarian National Radio informs.

Intensive snowfall is expected in Southern Bulgaria on Thursday, according to the country's National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology.

The winter solstice in the northern hemisphere comes when the sun hits its southernmost point and begins its six-month journey north, meaning days start becoming longer.

Depending on the shift of the calendar, the event of the winter solstice takes place sometime between December 20 and 23 each year in the Northern hemisphere

woke up to snow this morning, done my shopping so will stay in until it goes away. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] :Snow window:

Yesterday blue skies and dancing in the square at our Christmas Pensioners party and today awoke to beautiful snow! Its still snowing so it will be a white Christmas. Lovely.

Heavy Snowfall Comes to End in Bulgaria

The snowfall is going to gradually subside Friday from west to east with fewer clouds, according to the weather forecast of the Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

In the Eastern Rhodoppe Mountains and Eastern Bulgaria there will be still strong winds and conditions for drifts and wind-blown snow accumulations.

The minimum temperatures will be between five degrees Celsius below zero to 0, while on the Black Sea Coast they will reach 2-3 degrees. The maximum values will range between minus 3 to plus 2, in Sofia - minus 2.

Light snow is expected on the Black Sea Coast with precipitations ending in the evening. Maximum temperatures there will be between 1 and 4 degrees.

Saturday will be very cold, especially in the morning, when the Mercury will fall to anywhere between minus 10-13 to minus 5 and the maximum will be between minus 2 and plus 2. Light snow is expected for western Bulgaria Sunday when temperatures will begin to rise.

With the cold weather over the weekend, Bulgaria will certainly have a White Christmas, forecasters say.

The heavy snowfall Thursday created many traffic problems and blocked roads. Scores of automobiles overturned or got stuck on Trakiya highway while the brand new Lyulin highway, near the capital Sofia, was closed in both directions for a long period of time over snow drifts blocking drivers in tunnels.

Huge traffic jams were reported in Sofia – the City Hall says that 121 snow removal vehicles have been cleaning non-stop, but the priorities are the main boulevards and thoroughfares used by public transportation, which was delayed only by about 10 minutes average.

According to the City Hall, cars parked on sidewalks and piled on smaller streets create huge problems for the snow removal effort.

Traffic problems are expected Friday with the snow cover remaining and many people traveling for the Holidays. About 100 traffic policemen will be on duty to help alleviate traffic congestions. There will be additional police teams across the country at locations known for congestion conditions, the Interior Ministry informs Friday.

Roads across the country are reported as wet and slippery at spots, but open for traffic, except the high mountain passes.

Code yellow for potential dangerous weather-related situations is in effect for eastern Bulgaria over strong winds and snow drifts.

Code Yellow in eight districts


Code Yellow due to strong wind has been declared in eight districts across the country: Dobrich, Shumen, Varna, Burgas, Skiven, Yambol, Haskovo and Karjali. Yellow code means that the weather is potentially dangerous. The forecast meteorological events are not unusual but people should be careful and follow weather information and avoid risks.

Its here at last in time for Christmas!

Only the day before in the square. What a difference a day makes in Bulgaria!

Bulgaria Under Code Yellow over Rain, Snow

Even though the mercury will not fall below zero, code yellow has been declared for almost all Bulgarian regions (22 out of 28) Friday over the forecast for heavy rains, snow and icy roads.

The forecast has been issued by the Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, BAS.

Code yellow means potentially dangerous weather, where the forecast is not for unusual meteorological events, but requires people to exercise caution.

The warning covers the regions of Montana, Vidin, Vratsa, Lovech, Gabrovo, Smolyan, Pazardzhik, Blagoevgrad, Plovdiv, Pernik, Kyustendil, Sofia District and Sofia-city, where rain, snow and icy roads are expected.

In the regions of Ruse, Veliko Tarnovo, Targovishte, Pleven, Sliven, Yambol, Haskovo, Kardjali, Stara Zagora the forecast is for heavy rainfalls.

The minimum temperatures will be between 1 and 6 degrees Celsius, while the maximum will range from 5 to 10.

The precipitations in eastern Bulgaria will be of rain, but will turn into snow before stopping.

Traffic police are advising drivers to use caution and to avoid travels unless absolutely necessary.

It's miserable here today, rain and fog. The snow is melting, turning the garden to mud.
Not funny when the two dogs and running in and out of the house!

Rain and fog here to and its getting colder

What a miserable day its been as far as the weather is concerned lets look forward to the sun coming back

6 Bulgarian Regions Under Code Orange over Snow

Six Bulgarian regions are under code orange Saturday, the National Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) announced.

Code orange means intense weather situations with potential damage, injuries and casualties and is declared over heavy snow and ice. The warning includes the regions of Vratsa, Lovech, Gabrovo, Veliko Tarnovo, city of Sofia, and Sofia region.

Drifts on "
Hemus"
highway, connecting Sofia and the Black Sea city of Varna, have caused traffic jams near the Vitinya mountain pass, where vehicles are reported blocked in the snow.

In the capital Sofia, the City Hall's services have cleaned the main roads and those used by public transportation.

There will be a significant snow cover in western and central Bulgaria and in the mountains. In eastern Bulgaria the precipitations will gradually turn from rain to snow. Gusty winds are also expected for the Bulgarian east end, along the Black Sea coast.

The minimum temperatures will be between minus 3 and plus 2 degrees Celsius, while the maximum – from 0 to plus 5.

A more moderate code yellow has been declared for another 16 regions. Code yellow means potentially dangerous weather, where the forecast is not for unusual meteorological events, but requires people to exercise caution.

The Road Infrastructure Agency reports that roads are passable under winter weather conditions. Traffic police are advising drivers to use caution and to avoid travels unless absolutely necessary.

Heavy Snow Closes Macedonia-Bulgaria Border for Trucks

Traffic of cargo tracks is banned Saturday through the Bulgarian-Macedonian cross border point "
Deve Bair,"
the press center of Bulgaria's Interior Ministry informs.

The Macedonian border and Customs authorities at Gyueshevo have notified their Bulgarian counterparts that they are stopping the processing of cargo trucks coming to Macedonia from Bulgaria and of those leaving Macedonia.

The reason for the move is heavy snowfall on Macedonian territory, with snow not yet been removed from the roads.

The Regional Police Directorate in the western city of Kuystendil have undertaken measures for early warning of drivers.

Bulgarian traffic police is stopping trucks going in the direction of the Macedonian border several kilometers before it to prevent a jam at the cross point. Traffic will be detoured to the Zlatarevo cross border point.

About 10 trucks have been stopped already on Kyustendil's beltway.

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Bulgarian Authorities React after Snow Blocks Country

A special council has been called at Bulgaria's Ministry of Interior for Sunday to tackle the situation, after heavy snow wreaked havoc on communications Saturday.

Dozens of villages and small towns were left without electricity, and many roads - including Hemus Highway - were blocked due to the snowfall.

People were left in the cold, in their homes, or waiting for hours for the roads to be unblocked.

Sunday's meeting will include Bulgaria's Minister of Interior Tsvetan Tsvetanov, Minister of Regional Development Lilyana Pavlova, the director of the Road Infrastructure Agency Lazar Lazarov, as well as experts from the ministries of interior and of economy.

Late Saturday Lazarov commented that "
all senior civil servants responsible for the events will bear their responsibility."


The worst traffic obstruction Saturday was on the Hemus Highway, a main artery linking northern to southern Bulgaria, where cars had wait for hours late into the evening.

The power utility CEZ, which services western Bulgaria, had reported 450,000 people with no electricity Saturday, but has reduced that number to 56,000 as of Sunday morning.

Sunday the condition of Bulgaria's roads remains complicated, with snow and ice on some, and drivers are advised to exercise caution.


Bulgarian Town Declares Emergency after Snow Cuts Off Power, Water

The southern Bulgarian resort town Chepelare has declared an emergency situation Sunday, after two days of snowfall left it without electricity and water.

Chepelare mayor Todor Bozukov, who announced the news, has said that rescue teams are working for the restoration of utilities, but the situation is still dreary.

He added that a lot of households and public buidlings also have problems with heating due to the power outage, and that schools will stay closed Monday.

According to Bozukov, Chepelare has not seen such heavy snowfall for the past 20 years.

People in Chepelare (pop. 5,500) and in the surrounding villages have been left with no electricity ever since power lines were cut off by snow Saturday.

The water supply has been halted by failure of water pumps in a nearby area, again caused by the snow.

The Chepelare municipality (pop. 8,000) is located in the central part of the extensive and sparsely populated Rhodope Mountains in southern Bulgaria.

Due to the heavy snowfall over the past two days, many towns and villages in the Rhodopes, as well as settlements in central northern Bulgaria, have been left in the dark.

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3 Bulgarian Municipalities under Snow Emergency Situation

Emergency situation over heavy snow fall and inclement weather is still in effect Tuesday for three Bulgarian municipalities – Teteven, Smolyan and Roman.

The news was reported by the Bulgarian National Radio, BNR, citing the press office of the Interior Ministry.

According to other media outlets – the municipality of Chepelare in the Rhodoppe Mountains is also under emergency situation.

Most villages and towns in the area of Teteven, in the central Balkan mountain range, are without electricity for the fifth consecutive day, despite emergency teams working round-the-clock. Roads are clean, but at places with more difficult access, fallen electric pols and lines hurdle the work of these teams. Schools are closed over lack of heating, but the population has enough supplies of bread and basic staples.

Villages in the Roman municipality, in northwestern Bulgaria, are also without power for the fifth consecutive day, but schools are holding classes.

In the Chepelare municipality, schools reopened Tuesday, except in the villages of Pavelsko and Zabardo. In the Smolyan municipality, also in the Rhodoppe, 6 villages remain without power, while 20 experience power outages. The nearby top winter resort Pamporovo remains without supply of drinking water.

"
The season is doomed if the water supply is not reinstated. And the situation in the region is extremely critical,"
according to Smolyan Regional Governor, Stefan Staykov.

Emergency teams are working to remove fallen trees in the Rhodoppe mountain passes Prevala and Pamporovo. Also in the Rhodoppe – trailers are banned, while cars must have tire chains.

The Sofia airport has sent a snowplow to finish cleaning drifts near the tunnels on Hemus highway.

By 8 am Tuesday – 190 villages and towns across the country and 11 400 customers remained without power.