Poland braces for heavy snow and avalanches

Poland's first wave of winter weather has reached the south and east, with heavy snow warnings for Podkarpackie, Małopolskie and Lublin.

Meteorologists expect negative temperatures, sleet and steady snowfall through the weekend. In the foothills, temperatures could fall to -7°C, while parts of Małopolska and Podkarpacie may see up to 20 cm of snow. In the Tatra Mountains, rescuers report level 2 avalanche danger and trails covered by fresh, loose snow up to 50 cm. They urge tourists to avoid mountain hikes.

The Institute of Meteorology and Water Management says the conditions stem from a mix of high pressure over Europe and low pressure over the Baltic and Ligurian Seas.