Europe is taking over from the polar cold

Italy gathered the Civil Protection Committee on Saturday when temperatures dropped several degrees below zero and the risk of cold winds increased at speeds of up to 100km per hour.

Snowfalls announced areas of Piemmonte, such as Turin, Lombardia, and the Apen region in Emilia-Romanja, while Sardinia, Lacio, Calabria, and the Non - Jewish areas signalled rain.

After crossing the north and east of the continent on weekends, low - pressure measures also dropped into Greece, where temperatures had touched 20 degrees Fahrenheit [20 ° C] earlier.

The meteorological service said snow is now expected both in Athens and in the country's lowlands.

The weekend has found the most affected northern Greece, but in the second phase starting from Monday to Wednesday, large snow will be moved east and south, even to Turkey.

Meanwhile, the Arctic cold from Russia is passing through the majority of Eastern Europe, west and south.

The so-called “East Beast” is expected to bring up to 3m of snow to Iceland's island state.

Freezes made the movement of heavy vehicles on one of France's highways impossible the day before following similar problems in the Netherlands and Germany.