Balearics braced for storms

The Balearics was yesterday put on storm alert as a freak spate of bad weather is going to hit the region today. The eye of the storm is forecast to batter the Balearics today with all yachts being confined to port. A cold front is sweeping across Spain, but the Balearics is going to feel the full force of the front with the temperatures falling in some parts of Spain, snow is forecast at 2000 metres - a first for the middle of August. The Civil Protection department warned that today, as much as 60 litres per square metre of rain could fall in just 12 hours in the Balearics causing localised flooding, turning to hail at times. The Balearics will also be buffeted by high winds and this freak cold front is not going to start leaving the region until Monday morning, so there is an awful weekend in store. Over the next four days, all the emergency services will be on full alert. Drivers are asked to proceed with extreme caution and day trippers, campers and hikers heading for the countryside and the mountains need to be extra careful - the best advice is to stay away from areas at threat from a sudden change in the weather. Only two weeks ago shops and houses were flooded out in some parts of Majorca by unseasonal downpours. The emergency services are also concerned because there will be tens of thousands of people on the move over the next few days in the Balearics. Farmers were last night braced for further damage to their crops and the grape harvest for this year is being delayed by the unseasonal rains this summer. Flights are not expected to be effected by the weather, but shipping companies will decide today if ferry links between the islands and the mainland are going to be suspended.