article_detail

 

Residents in the high districts of Moratalla and Caravaca de la Cruz woke on Saturday morning, March 7, to the sight of a light blanket of snow covering parts of the northwestern highlands after snowfall that began late on Friday afternoon.

 

 

The snowfall settled mainly in the highest population centres of the area. In the Moratalla districts of Inazares, Cañada de la Cruz and Los Odres, accumulations of between one and two centimetres were recorded. Greater depths were reported in higher locations such as Puerto Alto and Puerto Hondo near the Pico de los Obispos (Bishop's peak), which once again this winter has been covered in snow.

 

The wintry conditions had been anticipated earlier in the week. Spain’s national weather service, the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet), warned on Thursday that snowfall was possible in the northwest of the Region of Murcia, and the forecast proved accurate. During the early hours of Saturday morning the higher areas were blanketed in white, creating typical winter scenes across the upland countryside.

 

 

Among the areas transformed by the snowfall were Llanos del Tartamudo, in the municipality of Caravaca, on the route towards Inazares in Moratalla. The landscapes there were covered in a thin layer of snow that contrasted sharply with the green countryside below.

 

Further snowfall was recorded during the night in the area surrounding the Macizo de Revolcadores, close to Peña Moratalla, where elevations reach around 1,500 metres. These higher peaks frequently experience snow during the coldest months of the year and once again saw significant accumulation this weekend.

 

The March snowfall also affected the district of El Hornico in Caravaca. Throughout Saturday morning skies remained overcast across the northwestern region, with fog banks and temperatures dropping to around minus one degree in the areas affected by snow. Drivers travelling through the highlands have been urged to take extreme care due to the potential formation of ice patches on the roads.

 

Elsewhere in the Region of Murcia, the unsettled weather brought intense rainfall and storms. As Friday afternoon progressed, heavy showers swept across several municipalities, accompanied by thunderstorms and even hail.

 

According to data from the Segura Hydrographic Confederation (CHS), as much as 66 millimetres of rain fell in a short period in Ojós. Other municipalities also recorded significant rainfall, including Ulea with 45 millimetres and Cieza with 38 millimetres.

 

The intense rain also caused some disruption to local transport. On the RM-520 road linking Blanca and Ojós, landslides were reported that complicated traffic in the area. Workers were deployed to the scene in order to restore normal road conditions.

 

 

Although snowfall is not unusual in the highest peaks of the region, scenes like those seen on Saturday remain relatively rare for the population centres of northwestern Murcia. With spring approaching, the latest snowfall may also prove to be the last of the season.

 

The Region continues to be on yellow weather alert this Sunday for heavy rains in the central area, up to 15mm per hour between 1pm and 7pm.

 

>>> Follow our Murcia Weather Watch Facebook group for more weather updates or see our Weather & Climate page <<<

Images: Consejería de Fomento e Infraestructuras del Gobierno de la Región de Murcia