Bulgaria Faces Icy Tuesday as Subzero Temperatures Grip the Country
On Tuesday, January 20, 2026, weather conditions in Bulgaria will gradually stabilize. The wind will ease and turn from the southeast, while sunshine will dominate most of the day
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The minimum temperatures will be between 1°C and 6°C, in Sofia - about 1°C, along the Black Sea - from 6°C to 9°C, and the maximum - from 3°C to 8°C, in Sofia - about 3°C, along the Black Sea - from 10°C to 13°C.
It will be very windy with a strong and stormy north-westerly wind, which will increase to a hurricane during the night in North-Eastern Bulgaria.
Before noon, there will be precipitation in southern and eastern Bulgaria, mainly from rain, on the high fields - from rain and snow. After noon, snow will also fall in North-Eastern Bulgaria, and at night - in the South-Eastern regions as well. As the night gets colder, a thin layer of snow will form there for a short while.
Cloudy weather will prevail along the Black Sea, with significant rainfall along the southern coast. It will be windy with strong and stormy winds, which will increase to hurricane-force winds during the night along the northern Black Sea coast. Maximum temperatures will be from 11°C to 13°C. The temperature of the sea water is from 10°C on the northern coast to 15°C on the southern. The excitement of the sea will be 3-4 knots, at night on the northern coast - up to about 5-6 knots.
Cloudy weather will prevail in the mountains with precipitation mainly of snow. A snow cover will form in the massifs of Western Bulgaria and along the Staroplaninsko ridge. A strong and gusty north-northwest wind will blow and there will be conditions for blizzards and squalls. The maximum temperature at an altitude of 1200 m will be around minus 2°C, at 2000 m - around minus 8°C.
The Road Infrastructure Agency (RIA) has warned drivers to go on the road with cars prepared for winter conditions due to forecasts of heavy rain and wind.
A yellow warning code for dangerous weather in southern Bulgaria and an orange warning code for northern and southeastern Bulgaria have been set for today. Forecasts call for significant amounts of rain and strong winds. Temperatures are expected to drop. There will be conditions for blizzards and icing, noted the road agency. The RIA called on the drivers to drive with caution and appropriate speed, keeping the required distance, not to make sudden maneuvers. The blocking of traffic by vehicles that are not prepared for winter conditions makes it difficult for all other drivers to travel and the work of snow removal equipment, the agency reminded.
The General Directorate "Fire Safety and Protection of the Population" took preventive actions in connection with the expected dynamic weather forecast in the country. Instructions were sent to regional governors to take additional measures in connection with expected strong winds and precipitation.
The directorate announced that the National Operations Center received information about the meteorological situation, according to which strong winds and precipitation are coming. A code orange has been issued for today for a strong northwesterly wind with a speed of 10-15 m/second. The expectations are that in the Vidin, Montana, Vratsa, Lovech, Silistra, Dobrich, Varna, Shumen, Burgas, Sliven, Sofia, Pernik, Targovishte gusts will reach 25-30 m/second.
Rainfall with quantities of 15-35 l/sq. m are expected in the regions of Dobrich, Varna and Burgas. According to the hydrological forecast of NIMH-MOES, in the next 48 hours, this may lead to an increase in river levels in the Danube, Black Sea, East White Sea and West White Sea basins.
Additional instructions have also been given to the regional directorates "Fire Safety and Protection of the Population" to increase preparedness in the event of emergency situations. The directors of police departments in code orange areas have also been notified of the forecasts.
The National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology announced a yellow and orange code for strong winds, significant precipitation and the first snow for today.
On Sunday morning, the wind will still be strong and stormy, along the Black Sea - hurricane-like. In Eastern Bulgaria it will be cloudy with rain and snow, and over the West the cloudiness will break and decrease. During the day, the wind will gradually weaken, the precipitation will stop, and the cloudiness over the eastern regions will break. The minimum temperatures will be between minus 2°C and 3°C, and the maximum - between 5°C and 10°C.
Monday will be partly cloudy, reducing to mostly sunny in many areas. A moderate northwesterly wind will blow. Temperatures will rise, morning temperatures - slightly, and daytime temperatures by 5-6 degrees.
It will warm up again on Tuesday, but cloud cover will increase and rain showers will start from the west.
On Wednesday, it will rain in many places in the country, and temperatures will drop.
On Tuesday, January 20, 2026, weather conditions in Bulgaria will gradually stabilize. The wind will ease and turn from the southeast, while sunshine will dominate most of the day
Bulgaria will face another day of severe winter conditions on Monday, January 19, with persistently low temperatures across the country and hazardous cold prompting a yellow weather warning nationwide.
A sharp cold spell will grip Bulgaria through the end of the current week and into the first days of the next one, with low temperatures and persistent northeasterly winds, according to the medium-range forecast issued by the National Institute of Meteoro
In Bulgaria, cloud cover from the northeast will continue to thicken overnight, while the southwestern half of the country is expected to remain mostly clear with occasional high clouds.
On Thursday, Bulgaria will enjoy mostly sunny weather, though clouds are expected to increase from the northeast as the day progresses, according to the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (NIMH).
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