Cyprus has been enveloped in a wintry embrace as heavy rainfall and snow have transformed various parts of the island into picturesque landscapes, particularly in the mountains.
A video capturing the beauty of Troodos, shared by the "Weather Enthusiasts of Cyprus" Facebook page, showcases the snow cover that has delighted locals and visitors alike.
Over 104 inches of snow has fallen so far this winter in Anchorage as of Monday, marking this season as the earliest on record to surpass the 100-inch milestone.
A storm that started Sunday and largely tailed off by Monday afternoon had dropped nearly 17 inches on the city by evening to establish the new seasonal snowfall total, according to the National Weather Service. The storm closed schools in Anchorage and Mat-Su on Monday, and contributed to a fatal collision on the Parks Highway.
This is the second season in a row that Anchorage has seen more than 100 inches of snow. In the 2022-23 season, the weather service recorded nearly 108 inches. The snowiest season on record was the 2011-12 winter with 134.5 inches, according to agency data.
The height of snow in some villages of Khalkhal in Ardabil province has reached more than 2 meters.
Snowfall has started in Lorestan this morning and the communication routes of 160 villages of this province have been blocked in Aligudarz and Borujerd cities.
Different areas of Gilan province were covered with heavy snow, especially in Astara, Masuleh, and Shanderman, creating eye-pleasing scenes.
Greece has been experiencing a severe wave of inclement weather since Sunday, characterized by a rapid drop in temperature, frost, gusty winds, and snowfall even in low-altitude regions. This adverse weather pattern is expected to reach its peak on Monday and Tuesday.
As a precautionary measure, the state apparatus has been put on standby, and the Civil Protection Committee will convene at noon on Monday to assess the situation and potentially implement teleworking measures in both the private and public sectors, if deemed necessary.
The arrival of the first snowfall has already been observed in the mountainous regions of Evia and Crete. Today, snow is expected to continue falling in mountainous and semi-mountainous areas of Thessaly, the Sporades, central and eastern Sterea, Evia, northern and eastern Peloponnese, and as the day progresses, it will also reach lower-altitude areas. Additionally, snowfall is anticipated in the mountainous regions of the Aegean islands and Crete.
In Turkey's Kurdish southeast, heavy snow and cold temperatures have brought life to a standstill. Hundreds of villages are snowed in.
"All the roads are closed and the people are stuck," said Hakkari (Colemerg) resident Silhedin Haznedar. "There is no place for us to go due to snow."
Serhat Oguz, another local, said that they have taken matters into their own hands to clear paths to their shops so their customers can return to the market to buy essentials.
"I clear the doorsteps of the shop so people can enter the shops. We clear the roads of snow," Oguz said.
Roads to 1,414 villages have been closed in Hakkari, Bitlis, Mus, and Van.
Police told residents to be prepared to take action, including evacuation if necessary, after the river rose at least 3 feet overnight. More than a dozen people were evacuated Friday morning.
"The ice jam on the river has not fully broken, and there is the potential for flooding throughout the day as ice begins breaking apart at a rapid pace," Will County Emergency Management Agency said.
2023 started with snowfall in eastern and southeastern parts of the Netherlands and ended with record high water levels due to record-breaking rainfall. The wettest year since measurements began also included other destructive weather events such as storms and tornadoes. Below are some highlights from extreme weather events in the Netherlands in 2023.
The United States has one of the most diverse climates in the world. It has forests, beaches, deserts, plains, and mountains. This allows the population to experience an array of different landscapes and weather conditions.
However, despite the incredible diversity and differences in longitude and latitude of the country, and the fact that only 37 of the 50 states have operating ski areas, remarkably all 50 states have seen snowfall this season. This isn't unheard of as it is winter and it has happened before. The hardest state to get snowfall is Florida, which saw flakes on January 17, in the town of Milton, after the recent winter storm Heather.
Several boats have sunk and at least one roof has caved in as Alaska's capital city remains under avalanche alerts amidst a record-breaking snowfall.
The City and Borough of Juneau put out a statement Wednesday that said avalanches have come down on Basin Road and above Behrends Avenue, the same spot where a slide occurred last week. A city official said that Basin Road is closed where it intersects with Eighth Street.
Four boats sank in the city harbor early Wednesday morning, according to Juneau Harbormaster Matt Creswell, who said he is concerned more vessels are at risk of sinking due to the heavy snowfall. Creswell urged all boat owners to check on their boats immediately and clear off any snow they can.
Heavy snow is falling in regions mainly along the Sea of Japan coast with record snowfall observed in Gifu and Shiga prefectures.
The Japan Meteorological Agency says the season's most powerful cold air mass combined with a winter-type pressure system has brought record snowfall to the Tokai and Kinki regions.
In the 6-hour period through 1 p.m. on Wednesday, 49 centimeters of snow had fallen in the town of Sekigahara in Gifu Prefecture and 40 centimeters in Maibara City, Shiga Prefecture. They represent the heaviest snowfall on record for those areas.
Comment: Meanwhile in an adjacent country: