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The larger part of Greece is under the influence of a cold wave that will continue from today to the first day of the New Year.

In an extraordinary message, the Greek National Weather Service warns of dangerous weather events in the coming days. It will continue to snow even in regions with an altitude of 200 metres, resulting in snowfall even in the centre of Athens in the coming hours.

The northern suburbs of Athens were covered with snow still in the morning. It is expected that weather in the regions north, west and east of Athens will deteriorate at night and will gradually improve after Thursday, 1 January 2015.

There will be intense snowfall in eastern Thessaly, the Sporades Islands, in the central and eastern part of the region of Central Greece, Evia and the Peloponnese, especially in the eastern and southern part of the peninsula.

Winds in the Aegean will also intensify, reaching 10 on the Beaufort scale (88-102 km/h) in places.

Over the coming three days temperatures in northern and central Greece will drop to very low levels, the forecast for the lowest being between -20 and -10 degrees Celsius.

Bad weather has already started to cause traffic problems. The circulation on the minor road Pendeli - Nea Makri to Athens, as well as in places in the regions of Kastoria, Pella, Achaia, Evritania and Evia has been suspended.

The use of snow chains is compulsory for vehicles moving on the Athens - Lamia highway in the section between Athens and Thebes, and on Parnitha Avenue that leads to the eponymous mountain near Athens.

In the region of Florina the use of chains is compulsory for vehicles moving along the entire road network, in Kastoria on the roads to Florina region, in Pella area on the road from Arnisa to Voras ski centre and locally in the regions of Kilkis, Imathia, Ioannina, Karditsa, Trikala, Evritania, Fthiotida, Corinthia and Achaia.

By order of the civil protection service, all institutions that are responsible for road safety, as well as the local and regional authorities are in a state of high alert to timely prevent the consequences of the outbreak of extreme weather events.

The service has advised citizens to be very careful in the coming days and take all necessary precautions against the possible dangers due to the snowfall and cold.