Widespread snowfall and icy conditions sweep across Europe with arrival of polar cold front

Snow has begun falling across parts of Central Europe as a front of polar cold air sweeps across the continent.

In Belgium, Tuesday’s heavy rain and gale force winds turned frosty, forming a layer of snow on the peaks near the Signal de Botrange.

The Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium has issued a yellow warning for ice and snow in the provinces Hainaut, Liège, Luxembourg and Namur, as temperatures drop to around or below zero degrees.

Snowfall is also expected on the Ardennes peaks, although the snow cover will remain light.

In Austria truck drivers at the Arlberg Pass were forced to put snow chains on their vehicles until the late morning on Wednesday as roads remained icy following snowfall overnight.

Drivers in Poland were also advised to put on their winter tires after an atmospheric front brought snowfall the in south and north-western regions of the country.

Heavy snow in the Tatra mountains triggered warnings by rescuers to avoid hiking the touristic routes as a possible third degree avalanche alert was announced.

Meteorologists say temperatures could drop in the Tatras to 10-15 degrees below zero in the night over the coming weekend.

Temperatures in the Czech Republic dropped by up to 10 degrees overnight into Wednesday as rainfall turns to snow at altitudes above 400 metres.

The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute says up to 12 centimetres of snow may fall in the east of the country on Thursday and Friday and there is a risk of icy conditions in northwest and northern Bohemia.

Meanwhile in Denmark snowfall led to slippery roads, causing a truck crash on the motorway between the cities of Nyborg and Odense.