Europe: Snow from Scandinavia to Spain

Temperatures well below freezing are currently transforming flooded meadows and fields in Lower Saxony into huge sheets of ice: This photo of layers of ice on the Leinemarsch near Hanover could also pass for abstract art. The dry weather is providing relief in the areas in Germany that have been experiencing extreme flooding.

Motif made for a postcard : Switzerland is a master at photogenic winter shots. The view of Lauterbrunnen from the ski resort of Wengen makes every snow fan's heart beat faster. The tourism industry is also delighted: After the Alps got hardly any snow last winter, the conditions for winter sports are much better this season.

They are used to the bitter cold and make the best of it: People in Lapland proceed with ice fishing in temperatures of around 40 degrees below zero. Even by Finnish standards, the cold is record-breaking. It's freezing not only in the Arctic Circle, but throughout Scandinavia. In Sweden, the military helped rescue people from cars trapped in the snow.

Morning in the "golden city." Smoke rises from numerous chimneys in Prague. Temperatures in the Czech capital are currently around -10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit).

Not a good place to enjoy the view at the moment: Lake Balaton in Hungary has also been experiencing icy weather.

Neoprene makes it possible: A surfer braves the wintry temperatures in the Eisbach, or icy brook (living up to its name!), in the English Garden in Munich. Wednesday night was the coldest in Germany so far this winter, with temperatures dipping to around -20 degrees (-4 degrees Fahrenheit) in some places. The German Weather Service continues to warn of severe frost throughout Germany.

Flamingos aren`t cut out for European winters. With their graceful legs, the birds can injure themselves or slip on sharp-edged ice, which is why at the Berlin Zoo, they are currently being kept in heated stalls.

A cyclist braves the freezing weather on the Marien Bridge across the Elbe in Dresden. Temperatures in Germany are expected to remain low until the end of the week, when it will become cloudier and less cold, according to meteorologists.

The tracks in the Pierre de Coubertin athletics stadium in Lausanne are covered in snow. Athletes have to train indoors.

Stay cool: The guards of the British royal family are not allowed to laugh or speak on duty and therefore look frozen even in summer. Currently their facial expressions match the weather in London.

Snow covers the Champ de Mars park around the Eiffel Tower. Heavy snowfall caused traffic chaos throughout France at the beginning of the week, especially in Paris and the Normandy region.

After record temperatures of up to 30 degrees in December, Spain is also experiencing the onset of winter. There aren't many pilgrims walking the Way of St. James in the country's north under these conditions. Over the weekend, a snowstorm caused chaos in Madrid as well. Spain's capital hasn't seen this much snow in a hundred years.