At least five people have died in France as an Arctic storm brought snow, ice, and freezing temperatures to large parts of Europe, causing severe travel disruption. Authorities in the Les Landes region of southwestern France reported three deaths in road accidents, while at least two more were killed in the Île-de-France region around Paris, where heavy snowfall led to huge traffic jams and a ban on lorries.
Paris woke up to a blanket of snow on Tuesday, with schools closed and children enjoying an unexpected day off. However, air travellers faced major disruptions as six airports in northern and western France were shut, and hundreds of flights were cancelled from one of Europe's busiest hubs. In the Netherlands, Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport grounded around 400 flights, while the rail network was thrown into turmoil by frozen points and a software glitch. The national railway company NS urged commuters to travel only if absolutely necessary.
In Britain, temperatures dropped to minus 12.5 degrees Celsius overnight, disrupting rail, road, and air travel, and closing hundreds of schools in northern regions. Sports events were called off, a power failure closed Glasgow's subway, and Liverpool's John Lennon Airport was temporarily shut. Up to 15cm of snow was forecast for northern Scotland, where lawmaker Andrew Bowie described the situation as 'critical' and called for military assistance to clear roads and deliver supplies.
Elsewhere, heavy snow and rain swept across the Balkans, causing flooding, power cuts, and traffic problems. A woman died in Sarajevo when a snow-covered tree branch fell on her, while Serbia's western municipalities introduced emergency measures. Strong winds and stormy seas battered the Adriatic coast in Croatia and Montenegro, with video footage showing waves sweeping through holiday cottages in Montenegro. In Italy, weeks of rain swelled the Tiber River, limiting attendance at Pope Leo XIV's Epiphany blessing in St Peter's Square.
