Historic Snowfall Paralyzes Transport and Power Supply
A rare and severe winter storm swept across Austria, bringing heavy snowfall, power outages, and major travel disruptions, as meteorologists described the event as unlike anything seen in recent February seasons.
According to ORF weather expert ماركوس فادساك, the country has not experienced snowfall of this intensity for over 20 years, especially in eastern regions. He explained that recent decades have been dominated by milder winters, making the population unaccustomed to such extreme conditions.
Flight operations at Vienna Airport Schwechat were temporarily suspended after heavy snow covered runways, with departures resuming only gradually during the afternoon. Airport spokesman بيتر كليمان said normal operations were expected to return by Saturday. In Styria, around 30,000 households lost electricity due to wet, heavy snow damaging infrastructure.
Austria’s road network was also severely affected. Several highways, including the A21 and A1, were partially or fully closed after trucks became stuck and accidents multiplied. The ÖAMTC reported that many routes from Carinthia to Lower Austria were impassable, urging motorists to avoid unnecessary travel and remain at home.
Meteorologists expect snowfall to ease in eastern Austria, but warned of strong winds, drifting snow, and further damage to power lines. A freezing night is forecast, with temperatures possibly dropping to minus 10 degrees in Lower Austria. In western alpine regions such as Tyrol and Vorarlberg, up to half a meter of additional snow may fall at higher altitudes, sharply increasing avalanche danger, while milder and wetter weather is expected in lowland areas over the weekend.