Ardino Municipality has once again introduced a partial state of emergency, marking the seventh such measure since the start of the year. Mayor Izet Shaban ordered the step following a rise in the Arda River and severe damage to the concrete surface of a reinforced bridge on the republican road network near the village of Kitnitsa. The structure has become unusable, cutting off the only road link to six settlements – Rusalsko, Lyubino, Latinka, Avramovo, Pesnopoy and Spoluka. The order prohibits the movement and stay of motor vehicles in the affected zones until safety conditions are restored, with the stated aim of protecting residents.

At the same time, heavy snowfall created serious disruptions in Northwestern Bulgaria. The main E-79 road between Montana and Vratsa remained uncleared and untreated, leaving numerous trucks stranded in both directions and obstructing traffic for extended periods. Long queues of heavy vehicles and passenger cars stretched across much of the international route. Congestion was particularly severe near the junction for Kravoder and Glavatsi, while icing complicated travel on the alternative route through Krivodol. Drivers also reported impassable sections between Vratsa and Borovan, where trucks failed to climb near Banitsa, as well as blockages along the Mezdra–Botevgrad road in the Lyutidol area. The Petrohan Pass stayed open but under difficult winter conditions. Earlier, a serious crash occurred near the village of Barzia, though official details about its cause have not yet been released.

In southern Bulgaria, traffic through the gorge between Varvara and Gara Kostandovo on the road to Velingrad was temporarily suspended after rockfalls triggered by heavy rain. Authorities cited the continued risk of falling debris as the reason for the closure. The route will reopen once it is cleared and deemed safe. Drivers are being redirected via the Peshtera–Batak–Rakitovo–Gara Kostandovo–Velingrad road or the Belovo–Yundola alternative. Police teams from Septemvri and Velingrad are stationed at both ends of the affected section to manage traffic.

Snowfall in Sofia prompted anti-icing operations across the capital. Treatment began early in the morning in Pancharevo and expanded to Vitosha, Kremikovtsi and Iskar districts. Priority is being given to streets used by public transport and to municipal roads serving Plana, Zheleznitsa and Pasarel. Additional routes in Kremikovtsi – including those to Seslavtsi, Buhovo, Yana, Gorni and Dolni Bogrov, Botunets, Chelopechene and Vrazhdebna – are also being processed. Work is underway in Studentski, Krasno Selo, Mladost and Lyulin, with 45 snow-clearing machines deployed. In Vitosha Nature Park, the roads toward Aleko hut and Zlatnite Mostove have been sanded. Public transport continues to operate under winter conditions, except for trolleybus line 9, which is temporarily diverted to Vasil Levski Boulevard. Municipal authorities urge drivers to use winter-equipped vehicles and maintain moderate speeds, while property owners are reminded to clear adjacent sidewalks.

Weather forecasts indicate overcast skies nationwide, with rain transitioning into snow as temperatures fall. Southern and far eastern areas are expected to see mixed precipitation, including icy conditions in some locations. Central and Eastern Bulgaria may experience significant snowfall. Moderate to strong northeasterly winds will create blizzard conditions and snowdrifts. Minimum temperatures on Saturday will range from minus 3°C in the north to 7°C in the south, around minus 1°C in Sofia, with little daytime variation.

Along the Black Sea coast, rain will gradually mix with snow overnight, especially on the northern shoreline where icing is possible. Strong northeasterly winds are forecast, with daytime highs between 4°C and 7°C. Sea water temperatures are 4°–6°C and wave heights will reach 3 to 4 points.

Mountain regions will remain cloudy with substantial snowfall in the Rhodopes and Central Stara Planina. Strong winds, initially from the south-southeast and later shifting northwest, will create drifting snow along high passes. Temperatures at 1,200 meters will hover around 0°C, dropping to about minus 5°C at 2,000 meters.

Snow will continue overnight into Sunday in Northern Bulgaria, while rain in the southeast will also turn to snow before precipitation gradually ceases. Winds will weaken and shift northwest. By midday Sunday, snowfall is expected to stop across the country, with clearer skies developing over Western Bulgaria. Daytime temperatures there may reach 8°–10°C, while eastern regions will see 2°–7°C.

A gradual warming trend is forecast for the start of the new week. Monday morning will be the coldest, with lows between minus 6°C and minus 1°C. Sunny conditions are expected at the beginning of the week, followed by renewed precipitation on Tuesday and Wednesday – mainly rain in lowlands and snow in the mountains.