Slovenia hit by snow, hail, floods

After a prolong period of extremely dry and sunny weather, a cold front has brought strong winds, rain, hail as well as snow on low ground to parts of Slovenia. Temperatures have fallen dramatically as well.

The storm passing through the country caused some flash floods. It was accompanied by strong winds, felling trees, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.

In anticipation of the weather system, the Environment Agency had put in place a nation-wide ember alert for high winds, which has since been lifted.
As the storm passed on to eastern Slovenia, the skies have begun to clear elsewhere. The night ahead is to be calm.

The cold front brought temperatures down considerably. After hovering at around 20 degrees Celsius and higher over recent days, temps plummeted to just above freezing around noon today.

They have since climbed back up, but, with the exception of the coast, are not expected to reach beyond 10 degrees.

The storm brought back mandatory winter gear obligation for some roads at higher altitudes. Moreover, the road between Bled and Bohinj, two popular Alpine destinations, has been closed due to a landslide, but drivers can use a detour.

The event is also a risk to some crops and newborn wildlife.

"We've received a number of calls about young animals falling from nests, lairs, trees and dens," a wildlife sanctuary in Muta posted on its Facebook page.

"Above all, be aware of young animals of songbirds, birds of prey, squirrels, hedgehogs and protected wildlife," the sanctuary said, also providing guidelines to members of the public on how to help the animals.

The cold snap is in keeping with the weather lore as the three Ice Saints - St Pancras, St Servatius and St Boniface - celebrate their feast days between 12 and 14 May, followed by weeping Sophia on 15 May. If all four saints do their job, a fine summer should follow but planting tender annuals such as tomatoes before they do is not advised.