Snow on the mountain.

The snow which has fallen over the best part of the week has helped to boost water levels and on 10 February, snow fell and settled as low as 300 metres. | clara ferrer

Humphrey Carter14/02/2018 00:00
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Over the past eleven days, nearly double the average amount of monthly February rain has fallen in Majorca and there is still snow on the ground in the mountains. The director of the Balearic branch of the Aemet agency, Maria Jose Guerrero, reported that in some areas of the island, in particular the north of the island, rainfall so far this month is double the norm for this time of the year. For example, in the case of Muro, 117 litres of rain has already been registered this month, nearly half of the normal average total for the whole month of February.

The director said that this February has so far been the second wettest since records began. Rainfall was heavier only in February 2003 when an average of 165 litres of rain fell, although that record could still be broken with two weeks remaining and more rain forecast.

The Palma municipal services agency Emaya has said that the heavy rain has been welcomed and has boosted the levels of water in the two main reservoirs. Both Gorg Blau and Cuber are at 62 per cent of their maximum levels, 20 per cent more than over the past month. And there is still snow on the ground which has yet to melt into the reservoirs. Apart from the rain and snow, February has also been unusually cold so far this month. The average maximum temperature has been 12.2ºC, whereas the normal for this period of year is 15ºC.

The average minimum temperatures have been 3.9ºC as opposed to the average norm of 5.9ºC. Guerrero said that as of today weather conditions will begin to improve, although it will continue to be chilly and isolated belts of rain are still lingering. By Friday, for example, maximum temperatures could hit 18ºC - only to be followed by a new cold front.