VIENNA, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Austria is set for a particularly cold snap to begin on Sunday with temperatures to fall as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius, a weather authority stated on Wednesday.
The Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG) said the current winter, which has up to now been relatively mild, will see an unusually cold end to the month of February brought about by a cold front bringing in icy polar air.
ZAMG expert Alexander Orlik said these cold conditions, particularly when they occur even in lower-lying areas, are usually only seen every seven to 10 years. Similar late February weather had last been seen in 2011, and in 2005, 1996, and 1993 before then.
The lows of minus 20 degrees are only expected for some regions, however, with typical temperature ranges to be between minus 5 and minus 15 degrees.
Icy conditions are thus expected to be present throughout much of next week. The current snowy weather in the country is not however expected to carry over until then, with largely dry and sometimes sunny weather expected during the cold snap.
The ZAMG said it is quite possible that the lowest temperature of the current winter season will be seen at the close of February. The previous lowest was minus 21.2 degrees that was recorded in the town of Radstadt on Dec. 10, 2017.