Snow in Athens!

Strange weather everywhere. The Weather Channel names US winter storms using specific criteria.

I was in Greece once and was snowed on in Delphi and in driving to Athens nearly every car had a rack of skis on the top. Not the Greece I was expecting, although Athens was dry,

There are actually quite a few ski areas in Greece.
https://www.skiresort.info/ski-resorts/greece/

Thanks for that link, Sam. I’d actually looked that up just before coming back your post and the others, and article from 2017 said there were 24 ski resorts in the country, amounting to 121 lifts and 196 km of trails.

I wonder if any of the ski areas serve flaming cheese Saganaki, and not fondue?

Nice turns, and he’s Norwegian and all, but why would he have his skis
and boots in Athens?

He's Norwegian, why would he not have his skis with him? :) The only surprising thing about the video is that they skied downhill and not cross country…

Strange weather everywhere.

It's called climate change.

Badger, you’re right about everything. As for the skiing video anomaly, there’s probably another video out there, showing the Austrian ambassador to Greece on cross country skis. Wonder if they were skating or classic? :)

In Texas (USA) they have had the coldest weather in decades plus more snow than usual.

The electric grid is down, no heat, running water, pipes bursting and people freezing in their own homes.

The US is suppose to be the most advanced country in the world and this is what happens when there are climate change deniers!

Politicians are blaming everyone but themselves for the disaster!

Why would he have his skis with him in Athens? Maybe he takes ski trips throughout Europe.

We toured Greece in 2017 and our guide told us that Greece ski areas had opened that year before other European ski areas, there was so much snow in the mountains of Greece. I would imagine a Norwegian would take advantage of the skiing there every chance he/she got.

Adding a reminder that generally Europe is farther north than the US, and Athens is at the same latitude as Pueblo CO where snow at higher elevation and skiing are also expected.

As for the skiing video anomaly, there’s probably another video out
there, showing the Austrian ambassador to Greece on cross country
skis. Wonder if they were skating or classic? :)

Probably, I have to see if I can find it! Unprepared snow, so obviously classical (unless he has touring skis/backcountry skis).

Why would he have his skis with him in Athens? Maybe he takes ski
trips throughout Europe.

As mentioned, there are mountains with snow in Greece. And skiing is to Norwegians what biking is to the Dutch and wine is to the French. Norwegian Broadcaster NRK made a small sketch titled "He who doesn't like skiing" two years ago during the 2019 Nordic World Ski Championships: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydqdVcGGDh0 In Norwegian, but I think you get the idea. Yes is it humour, but there is more than a grain of truth in it. The woman in the car is Prime minister Erna Solberg by the way (as in the actual Prime minister, not an actress playing her).

Now I can see why Greek sheep wear woolen coats.

A nice little story of snow in Athen’s past.

https://www.ekathimerini.com/society/1155370/when-the-maids-pelted-passers-by-with-snowballs/