Geneva airport reopens after icy 'beast from the east'

Traffic stacks up on the snow-covered A3 motorway near Zurich, Switzerland, March 1, 2018. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann

ZURICH (Reuters) - The airport in the Swiss city of Geneva closed for several hours on Thursday due to bitterly cold weather that has hit many parts of Europe this week with snow and icy winds, causing travel chaos.

The airport reopened at 1000 GMT for departures and will accept arrivals from 1200 GMT, the airport said in a statement on its mobile app, which showed more than 40 flights from Geneva had been canceled, as well as dozens arrivals.

A Siberian weather system forecasters have called the "beast from the east" brought snow, strong winds and the coldest temperatures for years to many regions across Europe.

Traffic stacks up on the snow-covered A3 motorway near Zurich, Switzerland, March 1, 2018. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann

Geneva's temperatures are set to rise later on Thursday, but the freeze is expected to continue elsewhere.

Geneva airport recommended passengers check with their airlines on whether upcoming flights would be scheduled for departure.

Tractors remove snow next to EasyJet and Lufthansa aircrafts during a temporary closure at Cointrin airport in Geneva, Switzerland March 1, 2018. Picture taken through a window. REUTERS/Pierre Albouy

(Reporting by Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi and Tom Miles; Editing by Alison Williams)

A woman poses with snow in a park for her friend in Lausanne, Switzerland, March 1, 2018. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

A snow plough removes snow next to Air France aircraft during a temporary closure at Cointrin airport in Geneva, Switzerland March 1, 2018. REUTERS/Pierre Albouy

A woman walks past snow covered benches in a park in Lausanne, Switzerland, March 1, 2018. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

Snow covers the tarmac and aircrafts during a temporary closure at Cointrin airport in Geneva, Switzerland March 1, 2018. Picture taken through a window. REUTERS/Pierre Albouy

Snow ploughs remove snow next to an EasyJet aircraft during a temporary closure at Cointrin airport in Geneva, Switzerland March 1, 2018. Picture taken through a window. REUTERS/Pierre Albouy

Ice is pictured on a barrier and a tree during a windy winter day near Lake Leman in Geneva, Switzerland, February 26, 2018. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

Staff remove snow next to EasyJet and Helvetic aircrafts during a temporary closure at Cointrin airport in Geneva, Switzerland March 1, 2018.

A tractor removes snow next to EasyJet and Lufthansa aircrafts during a temporary closure at Cointrin airport in Geneva, Switzerland March 1, 2018. Picture taken through a window.