Avignon, France, with the coldest period since the legendary Winter 2011/2012!

Only in the last article, we were informed about anomalous temperatures up to -33,3°C in the Jura region, Switzerland, around 1200 MASL /https://mkweather.com/amburnex-combe-switzerland-333c-the-strongest-frosts-of-winter-2021-2022-in-continental-europe-so-far//.

In a series of 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 (link above), 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/.

Now we should shortly shift into Avignon, France, where a 4-day period, with minimum temperatures below -5,0°C appeared, according to Météo France.

So long cold period hasn´t occurred in the city since the legendary Winter 2011/2012 (4.-8. February 2021), and then 17.-20. December 2001, since the year 1993.

An anomalous temperature of -25,7°C was reported on 22. December 2021 in La Brévine, on border with Switzerland /https://mkweather.com/amburnex-combe-switzerland-333c-the-strongest-frosts-of-winter-2021-2022-in-continental-europe-so-far//.

Mouthe in the Alps reported on 22. December -19,0°C.

A region with the lowest temperatures in comparison with long-term averages, with many daily records, appeared on 22. December in parts of northern France, England, and Benelux. Frosts in the UK and Benelux will be a topic of one of the next Mkweather articles.

The lowest temperature from an early-December cold blast from France had a value of -22,0°C /https://mkweather.com/220c-in-pontets-france// and long-term November temperature record appeared in Grenoble /https://mkweather.com/grenoble-france-384-masl-100c-the-coldest-temperatures-in-the-region-minimally-in-the-last-50-years//.

Meanwhile, in Chamonix, the Alps, or the Pyrenees, extreme snowfall was in the last period observed /https://mkweather.com/chamonix-france-1035-masl-70-cm-of-snowfall-the-highest-december-snowfall-since-1965-higher-than-the-legendary-year-2021-pyrenees-3-meters-in-2293-masl-a-record-for-the-first-half-of-winter/; https://mkweather.com/record-snow-in-pyrenees-france-spain-the-next-blizzards-are-only-coming//.

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//.

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.