GREECE: Athens northern suburbs are blanketed in snow as a sudden cold spell sweeps across the country

Record ID: 333227

  • Title: GREECE: Athens northern suburbs are blanketed in snow as a sudden cold spell sweeps across the country
  • Date: 29th February 2012
  • Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (FEBRUARY 28, 2012) (REUTERS) SNOW-COVERED HILL IN PENTELI DISTRICT, APARTMENTS ON HILLSIDE APARTMENTS SURROUNDED BY SNOW FIELDS FULL OF SNOW CARS PARKED ON PEDESTRIAN STREET COVERED WITH SNOW STREET FULL OF SNOW, CARS PARKED COVERED IN SNOW ROAD CLOSED BY SNOWFALL, POLICE CAR IN DISTANCE POLICE VEHICLE ON SNOW-COVERED ROAD TREES WITH SNOW ON THEIR BRANCHES SNOW-COVERED STREET HOUSES AND CARS COVERED WITH SNOW VARIOUS OF NEIGHBOURHOODS COVERED IN SNOW VARIOUS OF SNOW CLEARING VEHICLE CLEARING STREET AND SPRINKLING SALT ON THE GROUND VARIOUS OF RESIDENT WITH CANE WALKING UP HILLSIDE NEIGHBOURHOOD IN SNOW
  • Embargoed: 15th March 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece, Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Environment
  • Reuters ID: LVA1YEMV1TBZ1AONV31F73V6XGXT
  • Story Text: Temperatures plunged in Greece early on Tuesday (February 28) bringing heavy snows across the country which even blanketed Athens suburbs.
    In the capital, temperatures were at 2 degrees celsius, in the northern suburbs at zero, while in the north of Greece temperatures were expected to fall below minus seven degrees.
    Ferry schedules at Athens' main sea ports were cancelled due to gale force winds of eight on the beaufort scale (37 knots/ 42.5 miles per hour), while cross-country train schedules were also cancelled.
    Central and northern Greece were covered in snow, and even the northern suburbs of Athens, such as the neighbourhoods of Penteli, Vrilissia, Melissia, Kifissia and Geraka were draped in white, forcing snow clearers out onto the streets and schools to be kept closed.
    Cars were fitted with snow chains while further north on the national highway out of Athens traffic pileups were reported.
    In many parts of northern Greece schools in villages were also kept closed. Early on Tuesday several people trapped in their cars due to the snow were dug out by rescue teams near the central Greek town of Karpenissi.
    The sudden cold spell swept into the country just as temperatures were beginning to rise, and is expected to last for several days.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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