All of Czechia should brace for strong winds on Friday and Saturday

The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ) has published an official wind warning applying to the whole of the Czech Republic for today and Saturday. Meteorologists expect gusts of over 100 kilometers per hour [kph] in the mountains.

People living around the Prague region should be especially beware today. "As early as Friday evening, a south-west wind will start to strengthen in the western half of Bohemia and change to the west and north-west, with gusts of around 70 kph,” said the ČHMÚ. 

The rest of the country will see strong gusts on Saturday. Parts of Moravia, such as the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands, will be hit by winds of up to 90 kph. 

According to the Beaufort wind scale, an internationally recognized measurement to assess wind damage, wind speeds between 89-102 kph are classified as "whole gales" or "storms," and can cause "considerable damage to buildings." 

In the west of Czechia, the wind will gradually weaken from midday Saturday, whereas in the rest of the country the gusts will subside later in the evening.

The CHMÚ recommends that people limit their outdoor activity on Friday and Saturday, and closely monitor weather reports. People living at higher altitudes are especially at risk. The CHMÚ also recommends that the public secures any free-standing outdoor items and closes all windows.

Meteorologists also reminded people that strong winds can cause the uprooting of trees and falling of branches, which can not only cause traffic disruption but can also human injury. Maximum caution is therefore advised. 

Low temperatures hovering around freezing are expected Saturday morning across the country, including in Prague, which could see very slight scatters of snow. The CHMÚ expects snow drifts to form in the mountainous north of the country, including in the Jizera and Krkonoše mountains. A warning has therefore also been issued for the drifts in parts of northern Czechia, valid from the early hours of Saturday until 8 p.m. Saturday.