Czech Republic was hit by winter storms on Wednesday evening, an unusual weather phenomenon in the region. The storms were accompanied by heavy precipitation, reduced visibility, and wind gusts reaching speeds of around 70 km/h. These storms are relatively rare in the Czech Republic and mostly occur during the transition of cold fronts.

According to meteorologist Dagmar Honsová, the winter storm on Wednesday was recorded with over 500 lightning discharges, covering areas from Karlovy Vary to central Bohemia, Prague, and the Vysočina region. In some parts of Ústí nad Labem, wind gusts even reached 86 km/h.

Winter storms have occurred in the Czech Republic before, for instance, on January 21, 2020, February 3, 2019, or December 22, 2018. However, historical records show that winter storms can be traced back as far as January 28, 1517, when a winter storm accompanied by hail and strong winds was recorded.

Honsová warned that there may be more storms in the region on Friday. The storm on Wednesday disrupted traffic on the D1 motorway in the Highlands and firefighters had to clear fallen trees in Prague.