Europe is experiencing a sharp weather shift following the collapse of a persistent heat dome that had brought record-breaking temperatures across the continent in early September 2024. As the heatwave subsided, parts of central Europe transitioned abruptly from extreme summer heat to unusually cold and wet conditions. Austria, for example, saw early snowfall shortly after temperatures had soared above seasonal norms. This sudden weather shift, caused by a breakdown of the high-pressure system, is now leading to prolonged rains and cold blasts in central Europe.