In the heaviest snowfalls in the Italian capital since the 1980s, around 40 cm of snow had settled in the northern outskirts of the city by midday. It is forecast to intensify throughout the day and overnight, before easing off on Saturday.
Mayor Gianni Alemanno instructed schools to remain open on Friday and Saturday but not to hold any lessons in order that children unable to attend did not fall behind. He said on Friday only 5 per cent of children had gone to school.
The unaccustomed snow caused traffic jams around the ancient city.
Heavy snow has fallen over much of Italy this week causing severe disruption to train and road transport, especially in the mountainous regions of Piedmont, Emilia Romagna, Tuscany and Umbria.
On Wednesday passengers were stuck for seven hours in the countryside on a train that was to have gone from Bologna in the north to Taranto in the south after the electrical wires froze over. – Reuters
