Czech Republic sees first snowfall of 2023–24 winter season

Winter is coming. The Czech Republic saw its first snowfall of the 2023-24 winter season this morning as a light dusting of snow fell atop Sněžka, the country's tallest mountain, the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (CHMI) reports on social media.

The snowfall is the result of a recent cold front passing over the Czech Republic, which brough temperatures below zero degrees Celsius to areas of high elevation in the country. The snow is expected to only be a brief glimpse of the winter season, with temperatures expected to rise later this week.

In addition to Sněžka and the Krkonoše Mountains, temperatures are also low enough for snow to fall in Czechia's Jeseníky Mountains. However, meteorologists note that the snow is unlikely to accumulate on the ground.

If you'd like to get a peek at the conditions atop Sněžka and a potential glimpse of this year's first snowfall, you can check out a live video from the mountain's peak elevation at 1,603 meters above sea level. As of writing, conditions were too foggy to see much of anything.

This year's first snowfall is about three weeks later than 2022, when snow was first reported in the Czech mountains on September 18. It's in line with previous years, however, as snow was first reported in the country on October 12 in 2021 and October 14 in 2020.

Temperatures on Sněžka reached as low as minus one degree Celsius this morning, but weather conditions on the mountain can change dramatically. Shortly before 4:00 a.m., the measuring station at the mountain's summit reported a temperature of nearly eight degrees above zero.

This dramatic shift in temperatures can be attributed to the strong winds that sweep across the mountain. The winds not only affected the temperature but also disrupted the operation of the cable car on Sněžka. On Saturday, the cable car service had to close both sections due to fierce winds, with the upper section remaining out of service this morning.

Winds over the weekend have reached speeds of 90 kilometers per hour, while the cable car can only operate safely up to a wind speed of 60 kilometers per hour.

In the absence of cable car service to Sněžka, those determined to catch a glimpse of the first snowfall of the year on the mountaintop on foot could embark on a 2.5-kilometer journey from Růžová hora.

Neighboring cable cars in Krkonoše, unaffected by the strong winds, continued their regular operations, ensuring that visitors could access the region's breathtaking vistas with ease.

While snow was reported at the Czech Republic's tallest peak this weekend, it will be some time before it makes it to Prague and other cities across the country. Last year, the first snowfall in Prague was reported on November 19.