Jordan

At a Syrian refugee camp in Amman, Jordan, temperatures plunged early Wednesday to 4 degrees Celsius (39 degrees Fahrenheit) with fierce winds.

Torrential rain and increasing snowfall paralyzed much of the country, and most government and public offices in Jordan closed Wednesday and were to remain closed Thursday, the state-run Petra news agency said.

In the next three days, temperatures in Amman will drop below freezing, Petra said, citing the Jordan Meteorological Department.

Amman has received 101 millimeters (4 inches) of rain over the past three days, whereas the January average for the entire month is only 63 millimeters (about 2 1/2 inches), Miller said. The city gets snow about once a year, on average.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the kingdom saw 757 traffic collisions, Petra reported, citing the directorate of general security.

Turkey

Heavy snow paralyzed Istanbul, the semi-official Turkish news Anadolu Agency reported. Turkish Airlines canceled 39 flights into and out of Istanbul.

Lebanon

The state-run National News Agency reported Wednesday that the Civil Defense was retrieving 25 Bedouin families whose tents were flooded.

Heavy flooding on Wednesday cut the coastal highway of Nahr el Kaleb.

But the Civil Aviation Directorate predicted the storm would subside by Thursday morning.

Elsewhere in the country, the army evacuated residents trapped by torrential snowfall, according to news agency.

'Miserable' conditions for Syrian refugee children

The weather is not easing life for those who have fled Syria, the United Nations children's agency said.

"The cold is making life increasingly miserable" at the Zaatari camp in Jordan, UNICEF said last week. It cited health problems such as diarrhea and dehydration, a lack of hot water for bathing and a need for winter clothes, blankets and better food.

More than 540,000 Syrians have fled to Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Turkey and Egypt, the United Nations said. About half the refugees are children.