Storms forecast to hit the Balearics today

While hundreds of people flocked to the Balearics' beaches yesterday to make the most of the sun, which has spent most of the Easter break behind the clouds, the region is bracing for a return to the wind and rain. Weather forecasters are warning that storms which killed five people, and blacked out the capital of Tenerife on Sunday, are heading for Majorca. The bad weather is expected to arrive in the Balearic Islands during today, and will last overnight. Winds are expected to reach gale force, especially for the north of Ibiza, Majorca and Minorca. Simon Keeling, Managing Director of WCS Marine Weather, who specialise in providing weather forecasts for sailing around the Balearics said yesterday; “We've been monitoring the progress of this storm since the weekend. It deposited 49mm of rain on Tenerife, and was yesterday heading up the west Africa coast and was starting to affect southern Spain.” “Our meteorologists think that the storms will reach Majorca today. Up to 25mm of rain may fall, and with the winds reaching 50mph, we are urging all of our customers to stay off their boats.” He added, ”...Indications for the next few days are for the low pressure responsible to linger into Wednesday and Thursday with showers and fresh winds on both of these days. Conditions should improve for Friday, although more rain could be on its way for the weekend.” Over the Easter holidays in the Balearics, two lives have been lost and the search for a missing German waiter continued yesterday. 21-year-old Sven Zimmerman went missing in the early hours of Saturday morning. He and a fellow German waiter had gone for a closer look at the storm and rough seas just after finishing work at a restaurant in the fishing port of Cala Figuera, Santanyi. Apparently their boss had told them to be careful, but as they approached the coast, Zimmerman and 25-year-old Denny Weingarte were dragged into the sea by a huge wave. Weingarte's body was found later on Saturday floating in Cala Figuera's small harbour - but there was no sign of Zimmerman. On Sunday, while a team of Guardia Civil divers continued searching for the body, the Local Police reconstructed the German couple's final movements on Saturday morning. The search resumed yesterday morning for the third day and the diving teams said that the improvement in the weather would make the hunt for the missing body slightly easier. The families of both of the victims have flown to Majorca to follow the search at close hand while providing assistance where and when possible, and arrange for the repatriation, for the moment, of Weingarte's body.