Spanish holiday isle of Mallorca is covered in snow
Balearic blizzards: Spanish holiday isle of Mallorca is covered in snow and issues rare red alert weather warning with 16 INCHES more expected to fall in 24 hours
- Mallorca was covered with snow after Storm Juliette hit the Spanish island
- The storm will bring with it 16 inches of snow in the northern region of island
When you think of the Spanish holiday island of Mallorca, you might think of bikini-clad tourists enjoying a day at the beach under blue skies.
But today, the island was covered in snow and officials issued a rare red alert warning as a further 16 inches is expected to fall in the next 24 hours.
Storm Juliette hit the Balearic island of Mallorca on Sunday, bringing with it rare blizzards and cold weather.
Towns across Mallorca, including Valldemossa and Lluc, have been covered with a blanket of snow and temperatures have plummeted to minus 2 degrees Celsius (28.4 Fahrenheit).
The storm hit Mallorca on Sunday and Spain’s meteorological agency AEMET warned that 16 inches of snow would fall in the Sierra de Tramontana mountain range in the north of the island within 24 hours.
The island of Mallorca was covered in snow and officials issued a rare red alert warning as a further 16 inches is expected to fall in the next 24 hours.
Storm Juliette hit the Balearic island of Mallorca on Sunday, bringing with it rare blizzards and cold weather. Pictured: People walk through the snow in the town of Valldemossa in Mallorca
Mallorca was covered in snow and officials issued a rare red alert warning as a further 16 inches is expected to fall in the next 24 hours
Heavy snowfall in the town of Valldemossa in Mallorca due to the storm Juliette
The storm will also result in maritime storms with huge waves and intense winds.
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As a result, AEMET announced a red weather alert in the northern regions of the island.
The heavy snow has led to road closures in the mountainous region, while many residents have stayed in doors to avoid the cold snap.
The AEMET has also issued an amber warning for rainfall, with 100mm precipitation expected in the Sierra de Tramontana mountains.
An amber alert has also been issued for wind, as gusts of up to 80 kilometres per hour are expected today.
Storm Juliette also hit Spain on Monday, leaving some regions completely white as heavy snowfalls beat across the country.
The tenth storm of the season set off a cold weather alert in 30 provinces of Spain due to a very cold air mass from the Arctic.
The province of Lleida, also in the Catalonia region, recorded -18.6C (-1.48F) degrees on Monday early morning, according to AEMET.
Storm Juliette is expected to cause low temperatures and strong cold winds across the country and Balearic Islands until Thursday, AEMET said on Monday.
Elsewhere in Europe, hundreds of people in Croatia have spent the night in their cars or at petrol stations and reception centres after a snowstorm halted traffic and cut off parts of the country.
The sudden change in the weather over the weekend after a period of warm and balmy days has also snarled up traffic in neighbouring Serbia and Bosnia, leaving areas in western Serbia without power and cutting railway traffic to neighbouring Montenegro.
Heavy snowfall in the town of Valldemossa in Mallorca due to the storm Juliette
Storm Juliette is expected to cause low temperatures and strong cold winds across the country and Balearic Islands until Thursday. Pictured: A person walks along a snowy road in Valldemossa
Towns across Mallorca, including Valldemossa (pictured) and Lluc, have been covered with a blanket of snow and temperatures have plummeted to minus 2 degrees Celsius (28.4 Fahrenheit)
The heavy snow has led to road closures in the mountainous region, while many residents have stayed in doors to avoid the cold snap
Croatian authorities said roads leading to and from the Adriatic Sea coastline remain closed because of snow and strong winds.
Media reported that cars and buses were parked along the main Croatian highway as they wait to move on.
Officials urged people to postpone any planned trips after closing down roads following unsuccessful attempts earlier to briefly reopened them to traffic.
‘We all knew it (bad weather) was coming,’ said senior emergency official Damir Trut for regional N1 television. ‘I am really surprised people didn’t listen.’
Natalia Turbic, local emergency official in Gracac in central Croatia, said about 300 people have stayed in the reception centres that have been set up because of the situation.
Others sought places in private accommodation in the area, she said.
State television HRT reported that hundreds of people that couldn’t reach the reception centres stayed in buses and cars or looked for gas station cafes nearby which opened their doors for stranded motorists and passengers.
Issues were also reported in western Serbia and higher-altitude regions of Bosnia.
Serbia’s state railway company said that trains to Montenegro were not running, mostly because of fallen trees and problems in power supply in areas near the two countries’ border.
A person walks on snow covered road after heavy snowfall hit trees and traffic density in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina on February 27
A view of a building behind snow covered trees after heavy snowfall hit trees and traffic density in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina on February 27
The towns of Prijepolje and Bajina Basta were without electricity overnight Sunday to Monday, the Tanjug news agency reported.
Bosnian authorities said on Monday that heavy snow and wind have slowed down traffic throughout the country, especially in the mountains.
Traffic authorities urged caution, saying landslides and fallen trees are causing further problems.
Last month, Ibiza, famed for sun-soaked holiday destinations and parties, saw its beaches covered in snow during an unusual cold snap.
Temperatures in Spain reached as low as -15C in Catalonia last month as the country was blasted by the polar freeze currently sweeping across Europe.
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