After several years of milder winters, this year Europe is again experiencing a “real” winter. There is snow cover across many European countries, and temperatures are below zero. This led to problems and the temporary closure of airports across Europe yesterday, including Bratislava, Prague, Vienna, and Budapest.

According to an article by Severe Weather Europe, the main cause of this weather is the breakdown of the polar vortex. This is a huge swirling vortex of cold air around the North Pole. It has weakened significantly this year, which is why extreme cold has penetrated Europe.

Even though in the Algarve this winter temperatures are slightly lower than in previous years, we still get plenty of sunshine, with daytime highs around 15-18°C, often feeling warmer in the sun.