Romania braces for orange and yellow rain and snow warnings until 2 November

Warning levels and timing

The National Meteorological Administration (ANM) has issued a weather information notice valid from Saturday, 31 October, at 10:00 until Monday, 2 November, at 10:00. Within that window, three separate warnings apply, two yellow and one orange, each with its own validity period. The first yellow warning runs from Saturday, 31 October, at 10:00 until Sunday, 1 November, at 10:00. The orange warning and the second yellow warning both start on Sunday, 1 November, at 10:00 and end on Monday, 2 November, at 10:00. The warnings cover heavy rain, snowfall at altitude and strong wind in several regions.

Where the rain will fall

The first yellow warning covers the mountain and submontane zones of Gorj, Vâlcea, Argeș, Dâmbovița and Prahova. Rainfall there is forecast at 25-40 l/mp, with isolated amounts above 45-50 l/mp. The orange warning targets the submontane and mountain zones of Mehedinți and Gorj below 1,700 metres, where 50-70 l/mp is expected. The second yellow warning covers Dolj, Olt and Vâlcea, the lowlands of Mehedinți and Gorj, and the mountain zones of Caraș-Severin and Hunedoara, with 25-35 l/mp forecast and isolated amounts above 40 l/mp. Forecasters add that rain will continue in the southern and southwestern regions, at moderate amounts, until the middle of the week of 2 November.

The wider national forecast

The general notice covers rain well beyond the warning zones and states its figures in the agency's own terms.

“Precipitation will be moderate in quantity in Oltenia, most of Transylvania and Muntenia. Water amounts will be 10...25 l/mp and isolated above 30 l/mp.”

Above 1,700 metres, precipitation is expected to fall mostly as snow, forming a layer generally 10-30 centimetres deep. The Southern Carpathians are forecast a snow layer of 15-30 centimetres under the first yellow warning. The second yellow warning area in the Southern Carpathians is forecast up to 30 centimetres.

Snow and wind

Wind will strengthen temporarily on Sunday, 1 November, and overnight into Monday, 2 November, in the south and southwest, at 40-50 km/h. Gusts of 60-80 km/h are expected on mountain ridges, where they will blow the falling snow. The combination of wind and snow is what the forecast flags for the high ground, as much as the rainfall totals in the valleys. Warnings for the period are issued in several colour codes, so local conditions will vary by county.

Capital and outlook

Bucharest is forecast rain and gusts of 40-45 km/h during the period. The capital's sky is expected to stay overcast, with rain and temporary increases in wind. The validity of the warnings ends at 10:00 on Monday, 2 November. Rain in the south and southwest is set to continue into the middle of the week of 2 November, after the warnings expire.