The Greek island of Lemnos woke up to an extraordinary sight on the morning of New Year’s Day, as heavy overnight snowfall transformed the entire island into a vast white landscape.

Intense snowfalls affected multiple parts of the North Aegean from the evening hours of Dec. 31 through the early hours of Jan. 1, 2026. Lemnos was at the center of the weather system, where a combination of persistent snowfall and extremely low temperatures resulted in 100% snow coverage across the island.

For a region better known for windswept beaches and volcanic plains than winter scenes, the conditions were exceptional, leaving villages, farmland and coastal areas equally covered in snow.

Lemnos Seen From Space

The scale of the phenomenon became even more apparent from above. A satellite image captured at midday on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, by the European Sentinel-2 satellite revealed Lemnos as a strikingly white landmass in the northern Aegean Sea. The image, widely shared online, showed the island resembling landscapes more commonly associated with the Arctic Circle than with the Greek islands.

Social Media Flooded With Snowy Scenes

As daylight broke, residents of all ages ventured outdoors to enjoy the rare snowfall. Videos of snow-covered streets, fields and playful moments quickly began circulating on social media, drawing reactions from across Greece and the Greek diaspora.

The unexpected winter spectacle turned Lemnos into one of the most talked-about locations in Greece on New Year’s Day.

Municipal Services Delayed Due to Frost

The Municipality of Lemnos announced that, due to ongoing frost conditions expected throughout the day, municipal services would begin operating after 9 a.m. local time.

Authorities urged caution as freezing temperatures persisted, underscoring that the wintry conditions were not limited to visual impact alone.