SHMU: Highest Rainfall Totals Expected on Saturday and Tonight

Bratislava, September 14 (TASR) - The extreme precipitation situation in Slovakia continues, with the highest rainfall totals of 30-80 millimetres being expected on Saturday, tonight, or on Sunday (September 15) morning, meteorologist Jana Potankova told a news conference held by the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMU) on Saturday. A third-degree rain alert is still in place in the districts of Malacky (Bratislava region), Senica, Skalica (both Trnava region) and Myjava (Trencin region). "The highest precipitation since Thursday (September 12) up to now was reported by the meteorological stations in the villages of Pernek (Bratislava region- 192 millimetres), Plavecky Peter in (Trnava region - 170 millimetres), Solosnica (Bratislava region - 162 millimetres), and in the town of Skalica (Trnava region - 155 millimetres)," stated Potankova. According to Potankova, heavy rainfall on Saturday didn't trouble only the Zahorie area in western Slovakia, but also the north of Zilina region and rarely also the Saris and Spis areas in eastern Slovakia. The highest level of precipitation was recorded at the Jakubovany station (Presov region), with 50 millimetres falling since the morning on Saturday. Potankova said that heavy precipitation can be expected also on Monday (September 16) in the districts of Malacky and Senica, where rainfall totals might exceed the level of 230 millimetres. Warnings against strong wind are also in place in western Slovakia on Saturday. "The strongest wind up to this moment has been recorded in the village of Slovensky Grob (Bratislava region) and at the Bratislava airport, with gusts of wind reaching speeds of 55-60 kilometres and sometimes even 70 kilometres per hour," specified Potankova. The wind is expected to intensify tonight, with a second-degree alert applying to the whole of western Slovakia and to Zilina region. "The wind gusts can reach up to 100 kilometres per hour. In combination with a wet surface, this poses a high risk of falling trees," added the meteorologist. ko