Temperature extremes in the Balkans

Kosovo rations water amid 

worst drought in decades

PRISTINA (Reuters) - Kosovo started rationing water in and around its capital Pristina on Monday as it struggled with its worst shortages in at least three decades, officials said.

10 February, 2014

Unusually low levels of snowfall and rain had left reservoirs at worrying levels, said state water company Prishtina.

Under normal circumstances, the company pipes water to most houses in the area for 14 hours a day, generally cutting off supplies over night. That would now be reduced to 10 hours a day, said company spokeswoman Arjeta Mjeku

"We haven't had this situation since 1983," when the company started working in the area, Mjeku told Reuters. Prishtina serves around 400,000 people, about a quarter of Kosovo's population.

http://www.newsdaily.com/environment/fb8b5eeec0e3ae871d399e23cd080ebd/kosovo-rations-water-amid-worst-drought-in-decades

Just few miles away -

Incredible Ice Storm in Slovenia, 

Heavy snow in Southern Alps

As bad as the icing has been in portions of the U.S., it pales in comparison to the incredible accumulations that have paralyzed Slovenia in southeastern Europe. Ice accretions up to (and perhaps over) 3” have toppled power lines and left 25% of the countries homes without power. Authorities say 40% of the country’s Alpine forests have been decimated. Southern Austria was also hard hit.

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/weatherhistorian/comment.html?entrynum=240