From balmy summers day to autumnal-feeling weather in less than 30mins?

April 5, 2013 1:45 PM

Can somebody explain to me the bizarre weather patterns that exist in the Czech Republic

I have been there at least half a dozen times (usually during the summer months) and each time I am shocked that unpredictability of the weather. For example, on a July day it might be nice balmy summers day one minute and then a sudden gust will blow over (like what would happen in a Wes Craven horror film) and it will feel like Autumn all within the space of half an hour! For a landlocked country, I cannot understand this sort of weather. Can anyone explain what happens?
(and btw the Czech Republic is a beautiful country)

posted by jacobean to Travel & Transportation around Czech Republic (1 answer total)

My opinion is that the jet stream probably passes over that area during certain times, and the jet stream carries weather with it. We have chaotic weather in the Midwest, and the jetstream usually matches what's going on. If the jetstream is more or less overhead, crazy weather. If we are on the southern side of it, we have calm warm weather. North side = calm cool weather.

So you have the mid continental weather patterns. Then you add in the low mountains and the generally hilly terrain, plus a river valley, and you get strange weather. Valleys affect the ground weather a LOT. Plus, being in central Europe means it is sort of at the confluence of mediterranian weather, atlantic weather and north sea weather.

Depends on what climate you are used to, also. If you are used to a tropical or west-coastal area, variable weather is going to seem weird. If you are more familiar with mid-continental weather, a large variation in one day does not seem extreme. Storm cells rolling through are a regular occurrence. When you have hills and valleys in play, you'll get airmasses building up along side one hill, and then pouring into a valley when the pressure gets right.
posted by gjc at 6:59 PM on April 5, 2013