Czechia braces for unusually warm spell with temps nearing 20°C

Czech residents can expect an early taste of spring this week, with forecasters predicting temperatures far above seasonal averages and highs approaching 20°C in some lowland areas. The warm spell comes as meteorologists maintain flood alerts in several regions following recent snowmelt and rain.

According to forecasts cited by weather monitoring platform Severe Weather, a strong high-pressure system is building over Europe and will push warm air into Central Europe in the coming days. In the Czech Republic, temperatures in lower elevations could reach between 14 and 18°C by the end of the week.

The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ) has already issued flood alerts for Tuesday through Thursday in nine regions after rapid snowmelt combined with rainfall increased river levels earlier this week.

The warning follows a period of heavy winter conditions across parts of Europe that are now receding quickly.

Meteorologists say the shift is linked to a high-amplitude ridge of high pressure spreading north from the Iberian Peninsula and the Mediterranean. This system is suppressing colder polar air and allowing significantly warmer air masses to move into western and central parts of the continent.

The temperature contrast across Europe is expected to be especially sharp midweek. While Spain, Portugal, France, and Germany could see highs between 20 and 25°C, Central Europe is forecast to experience anomalies of 12 to 16 degrees above the late-February average in some areas.

In Czechia, the warmer air is expected to intensify in the second half of the week. Higher temperatures are also forecast in Alpine regions, where recent snowfall at higher altitudes could melt rapidly.

Authorities have warned that a combination of melting snow and additional rainfall may increase the risk of localized flooding. The mild weather is forecast to persist into the weekend.