Slovenes battle cold spring

It's been a cool spring across much of Central Europe - Austria reported its coldest average spring temperatures for 40 years and in neighbouring Slovenia it was a similar story. And hopes of a hot summer were dashed by a very chilly first week of June. So how are Slovenes coping with the lousy weather? Michael Manske of Radio Slovenia International pulled on his jacket and went to find out...

Many Slovenes have poor memories of the summer of 2005. It was rainy and unseasonably cold nearly throughout. And it finished with the devastating floods of August, which ravaged Central Europe and caused more than 20 million euros of damage in Slovenia alone.

Many people were hoping it was a fluke, but the first week of June 2006 brought cold, sadly familiar weather to Slovenia. The country witnessed nearly continuous rain, strong winds, and morning temperatures in the single digits.

We went around to see how people were handling the autumn-like conditions.

"I'm not very happy about it. I feel very bad. I'm a biker and this time is not good for me because I can't go out with my bicycle. I have to stay in my room and just watch TV or play video games. It's the worst time for me."

"It's bloody cold outside and I'm thinking of moving to some warmer place. Not naming names. But we are sick of this weather. Summer should come. Quickly!"

"What am I doing? I'm wearing socks. I make a fire in my fireplace every evening - thank God I have one! - but I like rain so it's not so bad for me."

"I'm dreaming about Bulgaria, where I spent my summer last year."

"The weather is very bad, but I think it will be better, because we'll go on holidays."

The Slovenian Meteorological Agency is forecasting continuing clouds in the coming days and temperatures in the teens at best. Even worse: scattered showers are expected to continue to plague early June.

Slovenes are hoping the summer makes a turnaround before it finishes and the real autumn begins.