Because of a thick layer of snow formed during the night, around 800 flights throughout Europe cancelled, majority in Germany, Netherlands and Switzerland.

From Alps all the way to Baltic Sea Germany is covered with snow and ice, which is causing numerous accidents, kilometres long lines in highways, jams and over 600 cancelled flights.

In numerous German autobahns, especially in North Rhine-Westphalia state, kilometres long lines were formed, and many people had to spend the night in their vehicles.

On the territory of that state lines of vehicles are up to 200 kilometres long, especially in Ruhr region and temporarily traffic is banned for vehicles over 7.5 tons.

The situation is similar in other German states. Furthest north state of Schleswig-Holstein, located on the border with Denmark, was seriously hit, and schools are closed. The winter has “locked” schools in Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Saxony and other states.

Due to the snow, flights are cancelled in neighbouring Netherlands, and those that are not cancelled get delayed for four and more hours.

Snow has also stopped road traffic close to Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Hague.

Around 100 flights were cancelled in Switzerland, Geneva airport was closed until the noon, and certain flights were cancelled in Zurich airport too.

In France, snow has hit the north of country most severely, the result of which around 2.500 trucks stayed blocked on roads.

Heavy snowfall, low temperatures and ice created problems in traffic and throughout Great Britain where railway traffic in stopped, and schools are closed.

Airport in Belfast, Ireland, was also closed Friday morning.

In Denmark, where it has been snowing in weeks, 355 postmen was injured while delivering mail, so Christmas cards there might be a little late.

In the Italian island of Capri it snowed for the first time in 25 years.