Europe Gets A Last Big Blast Of Winter

Tulips in southern Germany this week. Photo by Angelika
Warmth/Getty Images

I know, I know, you don't want to think about winter this time of year, but sometimes, winter has enough strength to push aside spring, if only for a moment.

Not here, thank goodness.

However, parts of Europe got a weird late season blast this week as snow fell across much of the central and eastern part of the continent. 

Nearly a foot of snow fell in eastern Ukraine, and six inches fell in parts of Switzerland. Accumulating snow this week also hit Germay, Poland, Slovakia ad Romania.

Trees in the region are starting to bloom and leaf out, so the weight of the snow, combined with the leaves that can catch the snow, caused branches to break. Which in turn caused power failures.

The unseasonable snow was enough to cause a 40-car pileup on a highway in Slovakia.

Heavy snow in Munich, German this week. Photo by
Tobias Hase/Getty Images

The snow was accompanied by unusual cold for this time of year, threatening crops in wide areas of Europe.

Apple crops are in trouble in Germany, Bosnia and Ukraine, and grapes for wine could might have gotten nipped in France.

Crop losses have already been reported.  

Closer to home, northern Maine can't seem to escape winter, either.

Four or five inches of snow fell up there in the past few days, and winter weather advisories were in effect for the rooftop of Maine this morning.

Don't worry, fellow Vermonters. There might have been a few wet snow flakes up in the mountains early this morning, but that's it in the forecast for winter weather.

Today will be somewhat damp and cool, but sunshine Sunday should boost afternoon temperatures to a seasonable 60 degrees or so.