A warm spell of weather continued to blanket much of Romania on Wednesday with new record highs reported in several places. Lower temperatures are forecast for the weekend.
In Bucharest, the eastern town of Ramnicu Sarat, Sibiu, central Romania and Caransebes on the Danube, the mercury hit 18 Celsius.
It was also warm in the mountain town of Brasov which saw a balmy 15C. Even Romania’s ‘Arctic’ town of Miercurea Ciuc enjoyed spring-like weather of 13 C, the National Weather Administration said.
Temperatures were 15 C higher than seasonal average in some places, and as much as 17 C above normal in others.
It was warm even in mountain areas. In Predeal and Sinaia 1,500 meters it reached 9.5 C.
In the Bâlea Lac where there is an ice hotel and currently 165 cm of snow, it reached about 5C.
Nighttime temperatures have also been warm with 11 C in some places in western Romania.
In Bucharest it will dip to 2 C overnight. Highs of 13 C are expected in the capital on Thursday.
Colder weather will settle in over the weekend, but the upcoming cold snap is expected to be much milder than usual January lows.
Winters have been getting warmer in recent years in Romania, also due to climate change. The last really cold winter was seven years ago.
