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© AFP
It is uncommon that a red alert for severe weather is issued for Mallorca, but red alert there is for snow in the Tramuntana Mountains. The effects of Storm Juliette started to be felt on Sunday night, the met agency Aemet warning of snow of some 40 centimetres over a 24-hour period.

Minimum temperatures fell to -2ºC in Serra d'Alfàbia, -1º in Escorca, 1º in Lluc, 3º in Palma (university area), 3º in Santa Maria and 4º in Porreres.

The snow line is forecast to be as low as 200-300 metres on Monday, and it is possible that there could be snow at sea level, but Aemet says that this is unlikely to settle.



The red alert is active until 9am Tuesday. The snow in the mountains has led to road closures - the MA-10 Pollensa-Lluc-Soller and the MA-2140 in the direction of Sa Calobra.

As well as a warning for snow in the mountains, there is an amber alert for heavy rain - 100 litres per square metre over a 12-hour period. The storm is also producing high winds, and there is an amber alert for gusts of 90 kilometres per hour or more in the Tramuntana and the north and northeast. The rest of the island is on yellow alert for wind, while the whole of the island (with the exception of the Tramuntana is on yellow alert for snow.

In addition, there are alerts for rough coastal conditions - yellow for the south of Mallorca, amber for the rest of the island.

Temperatures will be well below normal for the time of the year. For Palma, for example, Aemet is forecasting a high on Monday of just 9C.

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The weather warnings will continue into Tuesday, but conditions should begin to ease in the afternoon. At present, there is only a yellow alert for rough seas on the Tramuntana coast for Wednesday. The met agency says that the snow line, down at 500 metres for a time, will rise to 900 metres on Tuesday.

Today's snow in Lluc as temperatures drop to freezing.
© Benet BohigasToday's snow in Lluc as temperatures drop to freezing.