When you think of the Spanish holiday island of Mallorca, you might think of bikini-clad tourists enjoying a sun-soaked beach day.
But today the island was covered in snow and officials issued a rare red alert with an expected drop of another 16 inches in the next 24 hours.
Storm Juliette hit the Balearic island of Mallorca on Sunday, bringing rare blizzards and cold weather.
Cities in Majorca, including Valldemossa and Lluc, do blanketed in snow and temperatures have dropped to minus 2 degrees Celsius (28.4 Fahrenheit).
The storm hit Mallorca on Sunday and Spain’s meteorological agency AEMET warned that 18 inches (45 cm) of snow would fall in the Sierra de Tramontana mountain range in the north of the island in 24 hours.
The island of Mallorca was covered in snow and officials issued a rare red alert as an additional 16 inches is expected to fall in the next 24 hours.
Storm Juliette hit the Balearic island of Mallorca on Sunday, bringing rare blizzards and cold weather. Pictured: People walking through the snow in the Mallorca town of Valldemossa
Mallorca was covered in snow and officials issued a rare red alert as another 16 inches are expected to fall in the next 24 hours
Heavy snowfall in the town of Valldemossa in Mallorca due to storm Juliette
The storm will also result in maritime storms with huge waves and intense winds.
As a result, AEMET announced a red weather alert in the northern regions of the island.
The heavy snowfall has led to road closures in the mountainous region, while many residents have stayed indoors to avoid the cold.
The AEMET has also issued an orange alert for rainfall, with 100mm of precipitation expected in the Sierra de Tramontana mountains.
An orange warning has also been issued for wind, as gusts of up to 80 kilometers per hour are expected today.
Storm Juliette also hit Spain on Monday, leaving some regions completely white as heavy snows sweep through the country.
The tenth storm of the season triggered a cold weather alert in 30 provinces of Spain due to a very cold air mass from the Arctic.
Lleida province, also in the Catalonia region, recorded -18.6C (-1.48F) degrees early Monday morning, according to AEMET.
Storm Juliette is expected to bring low temperatures and strong cold winds to the country and the Balearic Islands until Thursday, AEMET said Monday.
Elsewhere in Europe, hundreds of people in Croatia spent the night in their cars or at gas stations and shelters after a snowstorm halted traffic and cut off parts of the country.
The sudden change in weather over the weekend after a spell of hot and muggy days has also spiked traffic in neighboring Serbia and Bosnia, leaving areas in western Serbia without power and cutting off rail traffic to neighboring Montenegro.
Heavy snowfall in the town of Valldemossa in Mallorca due to storm Juliette
Storm Juliette is expected to bring low temperatures and strong cold winds to the country and the Balearic Islands until Thursday. In the photo: A person walks on a snowy road in Valldemossa
Towns in Majorca, including Valldemossa (pictured) and Lluc, are blanketed in snow and temperatures have dropped to minus 2 degrees Celsius (28.4 Fahrenheit)
The heavy snowfall has led to road closures in the mountainous region, while many residents have stayed indoors to avoid the cold
Croatian authorities said roads leading to and from the Adriatic Sea coast remain closed due to snow and strong winds.
Media reported that cars and buses were parked along the main Croatian highway as they waited to proceed.
Officials urged people to postpone planned trips after roads were closed following previously failed attempts to briefly reopen them to traffic.
“We all knew it (bad weather) was coming,” senior emergency officer Damir Trut told regional N1 television. “I’m really surprised people didn’t listen.”
Natalia Turbic, local emergency officer in Gracac in central Croatia, said about 300 people remained in the shelters set up due to the situation.
Others sought places in private accommodations in the area, she said.
State television HRT reported that hundreds of people who could not reach the shelters remained in buses and cars or looked for nearby gas station cafes that opened their doors to stranded motorists and passengers.
Problems were also reported in western Serbia and higher regions of Bosnia.
Serbia’s state-owned railway company said trains to Montenegro were not running, mainly due to fallen trees and power supply problems in areas near the border of the two countries.
A person walks on a snowy road after heavy snowfall hits trees and traffic jams in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina on Feb. 27
A view of a building behind snow-covered trees after heavy snowfall hit trees and traffic jams in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina on Feb. 27
The towns of Prijepolje and Bajina Basta were without electricity from Sunday to Monday, the Tanjug news agency reported.
Bosnian authorities said on Monday that heavy snow and wind slowed traffic across the country, especially in the mountains.
Traffic authorities urged caution, saying landslides and fallen trees are causing further problems.
Last month, Ibiza, famous for its sun-drenched holiday destinations and parties, saw its beaches covered in snow during an unusual cold snap.
Temperatures in Spain hit as low as -15C in Catalonia last month as the country was devastated by the arctic frost currently sweeping across Europe.
