The weather is set to deteriorate significantly today with snow and bitterly cold winds forecast for the next couple of days.

The National Meteorological Service (EMY) warned local authorities, particularly in northern Greece, to be on standby as heavy snowfall is expected to make roads treacherous.

Northern Greece will be the worst hit with temperatures expected to plunge as far as -10C (14F). In Veria, the local mayor provided store owners with snow shovels. In Macedonia, snow-clearing trucks were on standby.

Snowfall will be heaviest in the north. Attica is unlikely to see much snow – only on its mountainous outskirts – but temperatures are set to reach freezing point.

Conditions will worsen from this evening, starting in northern Greece before moving on to the Peloponnese and other parts of the mainland.