Europeans Make the Best of Heavy Snow, Floodwaters

Severe weather in Europe, ranging from floods in France to heavy snow in Germany, has caused disruption and damage—but also magnificent backdrops to behold or play in on a Sunday. Floodwaters devastated many vineyards and orchards in southwestern France, the AP reports, while the Seine River overflowed its banks for a fifth straight day in Paris. In Britain, heavy snow is predicted for the coming days and set to bring disruption to southeast England as bitterly cold winds grip much of the nation. Some areas in the UK picked up accumulation Sunday. A snowstorm and strong winds pounded northern and western Germany, forcing trains to cancel trips and leading to hundreds of vehicle crashes. Police said more than two dozen people were injured on icy roads.

But the storms have also brought picturesque scenes, with people enjoying the day as Sahara sand colored the snow near Altenberg, Germany. And a pony walked in show near Millhouse Green in northeast England, while a horse-drawn carriage drove through the German town of during a flurry. A man used a surfboard to sled down a snow-covered hill in Wye National Nature Reserve near Ashford in southern England. Frigid weather is expected in the coming days across the continent. Temperatures dipped to below zero in Lithuania's capital, Vilnius, for example, on Sunday.

(More severe weather stories.)