At a Glance

Officials temporarily closed Paris' Eiffel Tower because of snow and ice. Roadways were also closed Tuesday because of the storm.

Snow and Ice in central and northern France Tuesday prompted officials on Paris to temporarily close the Eiffel Tower.

By Wednesday, the famed Parisian landmark that is a beacon for tourists, was reopened.

Twenty-four departments were under warnings for "dangerous" levels of snow and ice Tuesday, prompting officials to raise the alert level to orange — the second highest level.

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About 2 inches of snow fell on the French capital Tuesday, enough to prompt officials to close a major road in the Paris region, the Associated Press reported. Once conditions improved, the road was reopened with a ban on trucks in place.

“The situation is under control,” Transport Minister Elisabeth Borne said. “Drive safely and avoid hard braking.”

The area of low pressure will intensify over the Mediterranean Sea and track eastward through late this week. Locally heavy rain, mountain snow and gusty winds could affect parts of southern Europe and northern Africa, from northern Algeria and Italy into Greece.