Brace yourselves, Czech Republic! The weather bureau, CHMI, has issued a serious storm warning valid until Saturday. Get ready for heavy rain, strong winds, and even potential flooding.

Here’s the breakdown:

• Heavy Rain: Expect intense downpours with totals around 50 millimeters (mm), potentially reaching 80 mm in areas with repeated storms. This much rain can cause small streams to overflow and lead to localized flooding.
• Strong Winds: Winds are predicted to gust up to 25 meters per second (m/s), which translates to roughly 90 kilometers per hour (km/h). This kind of wind can easily uproot trees and cause damage to property.
• Hail: Be on the lookout for hail! The stones could reach a size of 3 centimeters (cm) in diameter, which is large enough to cause damage.
• Flooding Risk: The saturated ground from previous rainfall combined with the expected downpours significantly increases the risk of flash floods. This is especially true in areas with diverse terrain. Underpasses, basements, and small streams are particularly vulnerable.

The warning applies to the entire Czech Republic from Friday afternoon (2 PM) until early Saturday morning (2 AM). It’s important to note that high temperatures exceeding 31 degrees Celsius will persist in parts of the South Moravian and Zlín Regions until Friday evening (6 PM).

This isn’t the first time the Czech Republic has faced severe storms recently. Just on Thursday, heavy rain caused problems in the Pardubice Region, where firefighters were overwhelmed with over a hundred rain-related emergencies. Thousands of homes were even left without electricity.

So, stay weather-aware, Czech Republic! Make preparations to protect yourselves and your property from the upcoming storm.