Cold Weather Front Hits Greece, With Snow in Athens

The ancient Parthenon temple is seen atop the Acropolis hill following a snowfall in Athens, Greece, January 8, 2019. REUTERS/Giorgos Moutafis
The ancient Parthenon temple is seen atop the Acropolis hill following a snowfall in Athens, Greece, January 8, 2019. REUTERS/Giorgos Moutafis
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Cold Weather Front Hits Greece, With Snow in Athens

The ancient Parthenon temple is seen atop the Acropolis hill following a snowfall in Athens, Greece, January 8, 2019. REUTERS/Giorgos Moutafis
The ancient Parthenon temple is seen atop the Acropolis hill following a snowfall in Athens, Greece, January 8, 2019. REUTERS/Giorgos Moutafis

A cold weather front has hit Greece, sending temperatures plunging from the low 20s Celsius (around 70 Fahrenheit) on Friday to well below freezing on Monday, and seeing snowfall in central Athens.

Authorities appealed to the public to restrict their movements outside to the essential only, while the main highway leading north out of the capital was shut due to snowfall.

Temperatures in part of Kozani in northern Greece fell to as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus 4 Fahrenheit) while gale force north winds battered Greece’s islands, with gusts reaching 118 kilometers per hour (73 miles per hour).

Power cuts were reported in the Sporades islands in the Aegean. Government spokesman Christos Tarantilis said crews were working to restore electricity, after the cuts were apparently caused by trees falling onto power lines.

Heavy snowfall was predicted for central, southern and eastern Greece over the next day, including in the capital and on the southern island of Crete, The Associated Press reported.

While snow is common in Greece’s north and its mountains during the winter, it is infrequent on the islands and in the center of the capital.



Ground Stops Lift at Ottawa, Montreal Airports over Bomb Threats

The Montreal city skyline is seen from Mont Royal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, May 31, 2018. REUTERS/Hyungwon Kang/File Photo
The Montreal city skyline is seen from Mont Royal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, May 31, 2018. REUTERS/Hyungwon Kang/File Photo
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Ground Stops Lift at Ottawa, Montreal Airports over Bomb Threats

The Montreal city skyline is seen from Mont Royal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, May 31, 2018. REUTERS/Hyungwon Kang/File Photo
The Montreal city skyline is seen from Mont Royal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, May 31, 2018. REUTERS/Hyungwon Kang/File Photo

Ground stops were lifted at international airports in Ottawa and Montreal after a bomb threat on Thursday briefly halted departing flights, a US Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson said.

The Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport said on X that it was investigating a security incident and warned that operations may be disrupted, urging travelers to check their flight status, Reuters reported.

Air traffic control manager NAV Canada said in a statement that it was made aware of bomb threats affecting several of its facilities.

It said employees at affected locations were safely evacuated and that travelers may face delays.

The Ottawa Police Service also said on X that it was investigating a security incident at the Ottawa airport.