Cold European weather tightens its grasp. by Penny Tranter
The cold weather which has gripped much of Europe over the past week has now spread further west. Any holidaymakers hoping for some winter sun in Spain and Portugal recently would have been thoroughly disappointed. In fact Lisbon, Portugal recieved their first snowfall for several decades.
After a morning of heavy rain in the Portuguese capital, the rain quickly turned to snow as a cold front crossed the area causing the temperatures to plummet. This is the first snowfall seen in Lisbon in over 50 years, since 1954. However, the snow did not settle as the temperatures hovered around freezing.
Elsewhere in Portugal the snow was heavy enough to cause traffic problems. The major motorway linking Lisbon to Porto was closed for several hours on Sunday, along with many other motorways.
Parts of Spain were also in the firing line. In Madrid, the minimum temperature dropped to -7C (19F) on Sunday night, well below the average minimum temperature of 2C (36F). Winds circulating around an area of high pressure brought cold air across France, Spain and Portugal, and also brought some unexpected snowfall.
Snow fell across many regions of southern Spain including Andalucia, which is more commonly known for its scorching summers, with temperatures frequently hitting 40C (104F). Many roads were closed in the Spanish mountains and flights were delayed from major airports.
There is some relief in sight as temperatures are set to increase back up to average levels over this coming week.
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