SNOW RETURNS TO MAJORCA

WINTER returned to the Balearics with a vengeance yesterday as temperatures plummeted and snow forced the Guardia Civil to close a number of roads in the Serra de Tramuntana. A number of mountain villages reported localised flooding, one of the biggest problems as the islands froze. All of the region's airports operated as usual but the 60 kilometre per hour winds disrupted passenger services. Two early morning sailings from Palma, one to Ibiza and the other to Barcelona were still in port last night while two other ferries bound for Minorca from Alcudia were also unable to set sail. Away from the mountains of Majorca, the emergency services reported few problems, although the Balearics remains on weather alert with the worst of the snow and torrential rain forecast for today as low as 200 metres with temperatures not picking up until Thursday.