Snow blankets Sicily and northern Africa

A snowstorm hit Sicily last night, forcing the suspension of train lines, the Ansa news agency reported. Snow was also reported as far south as Athens and Istanbul, as well as in the mountains of Tunisia and Algeria.

People reported snowflakes in several parts of Malta yesterday as temperatures dipped to 4˚C, the coldest December day in Malta since 1988. The Meteorological Office has not yet confirmed what would be a historic occurrence of snow in Malta.

Hundreds of flights were delayed and cancelled over the last few days as Siberian winds brought a cold end to 2014 for Europe. However, several European temperatures are expected to climb shortly as milder air off the Atlantic Ocean is forecasted to sweep across the continent. 

The Met Office predicts temperatures to drop to as low as 9˚C tonight.