Snow blankets Europe

In Germany, heavy snowfall snarled road traffic and flight delays and cancellations at the country's international airports.

Car drives on a snow-covered road in Bethencourt near Cambrai, northern France, as winter weather hits France January 5, 2009. [Agencies]

Duesseldorf International Airport said no flights were allowed in or out between 6-9 a.m. (0500-0800 GMT) Monday because clearing crews were unable to keep up with the snow.

More than 30 flights were canceled because of the bad weather, airport spokesman Christian Witt said. Up to four inches of snow was reported in Duesseldorf and around six inches in Potsdam, just outside Berlin.

Flights from Frankfurt International Airport were delayed as much as an hour but none had to be canceled.

Traffic stopped for hours on many of Germany's autobahns as snowplows struggled to clear the roads amid heavy post-holiday traffic.

Germany's National Weather Service is forecasting subzero temperatures for the coming days.

Snow also fell across Britain. Children built snowmen in parts of England, including Cambridge.