The country is in winter’s grip and in several areas of Northern Greece residents woke up today with the thermometer showing several degrees below zero. The lowest temperature was recorded early Tuesday morning (13/01) at Ochyro Drama, where mercury dropped to -16 degrees Celsius, followed immediately by Lailias Serres and Neochori Chalkidiki at -11 degrees.
Northern Greece in deep freeze: School bells ring late due to extremely low temperatures
In Vlasti Kozani and Grevena the temperature was -8 degrees Celsius, in Lagkadas Thessaloniki and Paranesti Drama it dropped to -7, and in Florina to -6 degrees. The cold was quite severe even within Thessaloniki city, with mercury showing -1 in the Kordelio area, while the temperature at the International Fair grounds was just 1 degree.
In Aristotle municipality, in the third peninsula of Chalkidiki, due to frost, school units of all levels and kindergartens in the communities of Arnaia, Stano, Palaiochori, Neochori, Varvara, Megali Panagia, Stageira and Stratoniki started operating one hour later than the established schedule, while in the remaining communities the bell rang normally. Additionally, in Polygyros municipality, in the second peninsula of Chalkidiki, schools of all levels in Polygyros, Vrasta, Taxiarchi and all villages of the Municipal Units of Anthemounta and Zervochoria opened at 9 AM due to low temperatures.
Due to weather conditions, schools opened later in other areas of Northern Greece as well, such as in Florina, where by mayoral decision, primary and secondary education schools started operating at 9:15 AM, while kindergartens functioned normally.
The General Regional Police Directorate of Central Macedonia reminds that it is mandatory to equip all vehicles moving on the road network in Imathia, Kilkis, Pella, Pieria, Serres and Chalkidiki with anti-slip chains, as chains are necessary both towards ski centers and at many points along the routes.
Source: APE-MPE
