April 2nd - one of the coldest April mornings of last decades across northern Balkans; preliminary reports of destructive frost from NE Italy, Slovenia, Croatia and Hungary

As most of the farmers were affraid of, significant cold temperatures verified across parts of central Europe and the Balkans this morning, Apr 2nd. There are numerous preliminary reports of destructive frost to the fruit trees (cherry, peach and almond orchard) and some other crops across Slovenia, northeast Italy, Croatia, Serbia and Hungary where temperatures were far more extreme than the potential threshold for damaging frost. With locally below -5 °C this morning (even around -8 °C in some of the valley), during the time of blossoming trees, the damage is almost complete – 100% in many vineyards and fruit plantations.

Overview of the morning temperatures today, Apr 2nd:

Graphics: METEOCIEL

Here are the minimum temperatures across parts of Europe today:

Graphics: METEOCIEL

Tabular data from SYNOP/METAR stations:

Graphics: OGIMET

Data from Slovenia (automatic weather stations) and northwest Croatia (Istra region):

Graphics: ARSO / PLJUSAK / ISTRAMET

It was also pretty cold in Lapland, locally even below -20 °C!

Graphics: METEOCIEL

Tonight will be another very cold night in some areas, especially across parts of central Europe and the Balkans. Friday morning temperatures could locally again push to near -5 °C, potentially even lower if the night stays clear without clouds. However, the cold will be less extreme then today’s morning. Attached are maps for the lowest temperatures on Friday and Saturday morning, both should push below zero in many areas:

Friday morning, Apr 3rd