Coast gets a good dusting

Snow made a fleeting appearance early yesterday morning for anything from a few minutes to a few hours in coastal areas north of Barcelona and to the south of Girona, but nothing at all like the snowfall of 2010. Where it fell more intensely was in Selva, and some towns in the Baix Empordà and Gironès, forcing 23 schools to close early in the morning and leaving 10,082 students without class. Towns in the Maresme, Vallès Oriental, and others further inland in the Vallès Occidental, Sant Cugat and Cerdanyola, were also affected with even Tibidabo getting a light dusting.

The beaches around Barcelona took on a post-card appearance with just enough snow to take hold, however, far from the build up of snow still causing problems in the interior and Pyrenees. On some access routes to the capital this morning as well as higher areas of the Maresme, drivers were advised to put chains on their tyres as a precaution.

One person died and three were injured, two seriously, on Thursday morning in an accident between a lorry, a van and a car in the C-25 in Espinelves (Barcelona). The Catalan police advised drivers that chains are obligatory in some areas in both provinces and also to stay informed regarding the state of the roads.

The weather service does not predict further substantial snowfalls but many roads are dangerous because of ice and some inland areas are still inaccessible. In rural areas, a number of farms are isolated and councils have needed to hire machines to clear access off national highways. This weekend there will be restrictions on access to the Montseny Natural Park.