Snowfall forces school closures in southern Germany

Heavy snow forced the suspension of classes in southern German schools on Friday. Sudden snowfall hit Bavaria on Thursday evening, about three weeks after the beginning of autumn, resulting in canceled classes. Day care centers and kindergartens have also been closed, according to the local District Office. Residents have been strongly advised to stay at home because of the risk of injury from falling trees and branches. Power supply in several places has been disrupted because of falling trees, local police reported. Traffic in affected areas has reportedly been chaotic, with some roads and highways temporarily blocked. The temperature across Bavaria will return to 10 to 15 degrees during the day, according to Munich office director of the German Weather Service Volker Wuensche.