Romania's coldest spot, Miercurea Ciuc, was hit with minus 26°C air temperatures and almost minus 30°C close to the ground on Sunday morning, making  December 30 the coldest day of  the 2012 winter so far.

“The temperature dropped suddenly. Friday night, at 1 P.M., the thermometer showed 1°C and in the next six hours it plummeted to minus 14,” stated meteorologist Tanko Karoly based in Miercurea Ciuc, quoted by Mediafax news agency. “Today it was 12 degrees lower than on Sunday at the same time.”

In Transylvania, the weather will remain cold until mid January, with negative minimum temperatures, according to a two week forecast – December 31, 2012 to January 13, 2013- published by the National Meteorology Administration. Until January 3, the area will remain under the frost threshold.  Average daytime temperatures will rise a little over zero degrees until January 8, only to fall back in the following days.

The atmosphere is likely to get slightly warmer in most of the other areas of the country, with very low chances of rain or snow until January 3. After that date, light rain and occasional sleet are likely to fall.

For those heading for the mountains, the short term weather forecast looks good. Until January 2, the air will feel a little warmer there during the day, with positive temperatures temporarily setting in. Both maximum and minimum temperatures will stand below the frost threshold beginning with January 3. Very low chances of snow until the second day of 2013, but a few snowflakes will appear here and there afterwards.

The absolute minimum of December temperatures, minus 33°C, was recorded in Harghita in 1998, whereas the warmest December day in Miercurea Ciuc, plus 16.8°C, made it to the annals of meteorological history in 1989.

Ioana Jelea, ioana.jelea@romania-insider.com