From its Twitter account, the Alpine-Adriatic Meteorological Society posted a video from Italy’s north-eastern area of Comelico, near the border with Austria.

Snow blocked the entrances to homes and buildings, with more snow falling in the small village of Sappada, on the southern slopes of the Peralba mountain in the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

Italian firefighters said they had carried out more than 100 operations to clear roads of snow.

In the Veneto region, firefighters used a snow cat – a large, tracked vehicle built for travelling through snow – to rescue a family stuck in a remote area.

Forecasters say more snow is expected in the area in the coming days.

Despite ideal conditions, Italy last week postponed the reopening of its ski resorts until later this month, after regional authorities asked for more time to meet coronavirus regulations.

The ordinance signed by Health Minister Roberto Speranza delays the reopening the country’s ski lifts and facilities until January 18.

Authorities in Italy’s northern and central regions had alerted the government that a planned January 7 opening date was not realistic.

“At the present time, due to the recent epidemiological trend at international level that has not facilitated the taking of the necessary decisions, it is believed that the conditions do not exist to allow initiatives and actions to allow the opening of the facilities on January 7,” they wrote, as cited in the ordinance.

The Italian government’s scientific technical committee, which advises on COVID-19 rules, had signalled “medium-high” risk of crowds, inside gondolas, as well as at lift lines and during après-ski.