Amburnex Combe, Switzerland: -33,3°C! The strongest frosts of Winter 2021/2022 in continental Europe, so far

In a series of the next 7 Mkweather articles, before articles from the world, we will look at extremely cold morning, 22. December 2021 in parts of Europe and many regional temperature records or very low measured minimum temperatures.

Severe frosts up to -33,3°C were reported in the Alps, regions in France reported the coldest winter period since a legendary winter 2012, Czechia was close to -25°C, Slovakia below -22°C, Serbia, Germany, and Austria attacked -20°C in densely populated regions, cold was in Eastern Europe and Baltic region and below -10°C was measured in the UK and almost in Benelux, too /detailed information in the next Mkweather articles/.

Already on 21. December 2021, temperatures in Switzerland (-31,2°C) or Greece (-21,9°C) dropped extremely low /https://mkweather.com/312c-in-switzerland-1200-masl-extreme-winter-is-here-france-germany-italy-and-austria-with-severe-frosts-too/; https://mkweather.com/greece-219c-in-1780-masl-snow-appeared-near-athens// and extremely cold weather hit Egypt, too /https://mkweather.com/extreme-siberian-winter-in-egypt-snow-in-alexandria-kharga-almost-with-an-absolute-minimum-record//.

While the first 2 decades of December 2021 were in European mid-latitudes relatively milder /https://mkweather.com/esrl-composites-for-europe-for-the-first-4-pentads-of-december-2021-early-winter//, already around Christmas and New Year 2021-2022 is 40% chance, that AO index will fall extremely low, into the interval -5/-7 /https://mkweather.com/12-30-runs-of-gefs-expect-an-extremely-low-ao-index-from-5-to-7-for-christmas-time-and-new-year//.

This destabilization of polar vortex should be associated with extreme blizzards across Europe /https://mkweather.com/gfs-expects-extreme-blizzards-in-europe-regionally-20-70-cm-locally-up-to-1-meter-of-snow-possible// and according to the newest outputs, parts of the eastern half of the continent should until New Year receive 30-70, regionally up to 1 meter of snowfall.

Just for these areas, a current GFS returned abnormally cold weather around 5. January 2022 /https://mkweather.com/frost-inferno-for-poland-ukraine-romania-its-abnormal-30c-40c// /agrees with our long-term outlook /https://mkweather.com/the-long-term-forecast-for-europe-until-30-january-2022/; https://mkweather.com/the-long-term-snow-forecast-for-europe-until-30-january-2022//.

Now, we should return to Switzerland, where on 21. December, -31,2°C was measured /https://mkweather.com/312c-in-switzerland-1200-masl-extreme-winter-is-here-france-germany-italy-and-austria-with-severe-frosts-too//.

The temperature in valleys around 1200 MASL was decreasing until 22. December and minimum temperature on this day reached in Amburnex Combe within agrometeo.ch site anomalous -33,3°C /http://Amburnex Combe/!

Extremely low minimum temperature, only -25,7°C was measured in La Brevine, around 1000 MASL, on the border with France, too.

The maximum temperature in Amburnex Combe reached only -17,6°C, while La Brevine reported on 21. December maximum -12,3°C and on 22. December it should be even lower.

Temperatures around -20°C hit cities with high snow cover in the Alps (France, Germany, Italy, Austria) in elevations 500-1000 MASL, too (the next Mkweather articles), in frost valleys around 1000 MASL, it should be in every country up of to -30°C.

Temperature from Switzerland is the coldest observation in continental Europe in relatively lower situated read up to around 1200 MASL, so far.

Below 1000 MASL, frosts below -25°C appeared, very probably (La Brevine, a few meters above 1000 MASL, -25,7°C).

Extremely cold air is shifting eastward and already on 23. and 24. December 2021, frosts below -30°C will be possible e.g. in Czechian frost valleys and in interval -20/-25°C in Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Poland, Baltic region, Ukraine, Romania, or other countries in northern Balkan.

An Arctic Ice Sea Extent was in the last period the 2nd highest in the last 15 years /https://mkweather.com/arctic-sea-ice-extent-is-the-2nd-highest-in-15-years//, moreover, La Nina is ongoing and strong AO- and NAO- are expected, together with wet MJO above SE Asia and negative IOD (additional factors).

An absolute peak of Winter 2021/2022 however, is forecasted between 31. December 2021 – 9. January 2022, so far /https://mkweather.com/the-long-term-forecast-for-europe-until-30-january-2022/; https://mkweather.com/the-long-term-snow-forecast-for-europe-until-30-january-2022//.

Classic warnings before a worsening of health problems such as hypothermia, virological situation, heart attacks, such as power outages, uprooted trees ar problems in travel are expected.

Therefore stay safe and warm.