Europe Set for Coldest Weather in Years as Gas Stocks Deplete

London: European cities, from Austria to Spain, are gearing up for some seriously cold weather. It’s expected to be the coldest in four years, and that’s putting a strain on gas supplies as everyone cranks up the heat.

The chill is already hitting the UK and parts of Scandinavia, but it’s set to spread to the rest of Europe soon. Salzburg in Austria is looking at lows of -15°C (5°F) on Monday, while Madrid might see -7°C, the coldest it’s been since 2021.

With these icy temps, heating demand is skyrocketing, especially after Russian gas flows were cut off through a major pipeline. Europe’s gas reserves are dropping faster than they have in eight years.

In the UK, yellow warnings for snow and ice are still in effect, and there’s a chance of more snow in southern England, including London, on Wednesday.

London’s temperatures are expected to dip to around 1°C on January 9, which is quite a bit below the usual for this time of year. We could see up to 10 centimeters of snow, which might mess with travel plans as a low-pressure system collides with the cold air.

Earlier this week, the coldest night of the winter was recorded in Lock Glascarnoch, Scotland, where it dropped to -13.3°C. That’s pretty chilly!

Northwest Europe is looking at an average of 17 heating degree days over the next week, which is three above the 10-year average. So, it’s going to be a tough week for heating.

There are also alerts for snow and ice in northeast France and northwest Italy. An amber warning is out for heavy snow near Oslo, where temperatures could plummet to -22°C on Sunday.

And it’s not just the cold; strong winds are causing issues in several countries. In Spain, there are warnings for the coast of Galicia with gusts hitting around 70 kilometers an hour, creating high waves. Large parts of Germany are also under orange wind warnings.