Coldest March in 35 years ending with a sunny smile

There were smiles on Friday as what has been the coldest March in 35 years neared its end with a springtime blush, bringing relief from two cold spells and skyrocketing heating bills.

According to the National Observatory, temperatures reached 22-23 degrees Celsius in many parts on Friday and are expected to stay warm through the end of the month. Last Sunday in contrast, parts of Imathia, Florina and Kozani chattered at -8C.

Those unusual lows were part of a cold front that began on March 18 and clung on until Wednesday. And that, in turn, had come on the back of weather front Filippos, which brought heavy snow to many parts in the first half of the month.

Another unusual phenomenon was the very low temperatures in southern Greece: Last Wednesday, the high in Anogeia in Rethymno, Crete was just 4.4 degrees Celsius while Sindos in northern Greece enjoyed a balmy 20.1C.