Winter is coming to Saxony – at least temporarily. On Friday it started snowing down to the lowlands. The frost should be over by Sunday.
Leipzig (dpa / sn) – Winter is making its first short guest appearance in Saxony. According to the German Weather Service (DWD), on Friday afternoon it began to snow down into the lowlands. The snow will also remain in the mountains, said a DWD spokesman in Leipzig. Up to five centimeters can be expected from the Vogtland to the western Ore Mountains. In the lowlands, where the ground is still relatively warm, the white splendor will adorn car roofs or garbage cans. Motorists and pedestrians would have to be prepared for slippery roads. The winter services reported operational readiness on Friday.
The winter interlude will only last a day or two, said the meteorologist. On Saturday, frost is still to be expected right down to the lowlands, but on Sunday temperatures were already climbing well above the zero-degree mark again. It stays frosty at most at altitudes above 800 to 900 meters.
People in Saxony should use Saturday to soak up some sun in the afternoon. According to the DWD, it should clear up. However, it will be very cold: the maximum temperature is around zero degrees. According to the forecast, the first clouds will appear again on Sunday night and bring light snowfalls with them. According to the DWD, Sunday will be cloudy and foggy.
To ensure that traffic runs smoothly despite the winter weather, local authorities have erected snow fences on roads, especially in the mountains, stocked up on de-icing salt and got the winter service vehicles moving. In the district of Saxon Switzerland-Eastern Ore Mountains alone, around 40 routes have been set for the winter service, which are completed several times in two shifts from 4 a.m. in the morning. The district office in Pirna announced on Friday that work would also be carried out in a three-shift system on selected routes in extreme weather.
In order to prevent larger snowdrifts on roads, around 26 kilometers of snow fences were erected along certain sections of federal, state and district roads in the Erzgebirge district. According to the district office in Annaberg-Buchholz, 56 vehicles from the road maintenance departments and 31 from external service providers are available for the winter season. 17 tons of road salt were stored.
The city of Plauen pointed out on Friday that snow and ice must also be removed from sidewalks and that the owners of the adjacent properties are responsible for this. The paths must be cleared from 6 a.m. on working days and from 8 a.m. on Sundays and public holidays. The use of salt is only permitted in exceptional cases.
