Greece prepared to ring in the New Year under biting cold on Wednesday, as a winter storm system brought plummeting temperatures and scattered snowfall to large parts of the country.
The National Observatory of Athens reported that temperatures were set to drop by 7 to 10 degrees Celsius (13 to 18 degrees Fahrenheit) throughout New Year’s Eve.
While the cold front began with rain in the Ionian and Aegean seas late Tuesday, it rapidly intensified early Wednesday, turning to snow in mountainous and semi-mountainous regions.
Forecasters warned that snowfall could temporarily reach lower elevations and plains in Macedonia, Thessaly, and eastern central Greece—including the wider Athens region—by late Wednesday night.
Meteorologist Thodoris Kolydas described the outlook as “calm, simple and wintry,” noting that while the system lacks the ferocity of major blizzards, the cold will be sharp.
Mr. Kolydas said forecast models show the chill persisting through the early hours of New Year’s Day before conditions improve.
Winds shifted to strong northerlies overnight, reaching speeds of up to 7 on the Beaufort scale in the Aegean.
By Jan. 1, the weather is expected to be confined mainly to Crete and the Aegean islands, bringing rain to lowlands and snow to higher altitudes.
Authorities have advised drivers to exercise caution, particularly in northern and mountainous networks, as the holiday travel period peaks.