The once-scorching heat and arid conditions that characterised Spain’s driest-ever start to the year have abruptly given way to brutal hailstorms, snow showers and bitter winds.
Terrifying footage from Los Palacios y Villafranca, nestled in the Seville province, captured the fury of Mother Nature firsthand.
Cars were mercilessly lashed with giant hailstones while powerful winds tore leaves from their branches, turning the town into a scene of wintry chaos.
In one video, a group of pharmacists was seen standing inside their store, utterly dumbfounded at the power of the hail in May after weeks of temperatures as high as 38 degrees C.
Other shocking clips posted to social media highlighted the stark reality of how the sun-baked streets were turned into streams by the deluge.
Meanwhile in Asturias, a region known for its lush green landscapes, residents woke up to a surprising sight as heavy snowfall blanketed the mountains.
Terrifying footage from Los Palacios y Villafranca, nestled in the Seville province, showed hail beating down and thumping into cars
Cars were mercilessly lashed with giant hailstones while powerful winds tore leaves from their branches, turning the town into a scene of wintry chaos
Terrifying footage from Los Palacios y Villafranca showed the severity of the hailstorm
The streets were carpeted white following the bizarre weather at Los Palacios y Villafranca
Hailstones bounce off the pavement in Los Palacios y Villafranca as locals remained safe inside
Shocking clips posted to social media highlighted the stark reality of how the sun-baked streets were turned into streams by the deluge.
This unprecedented string of weather events marks a stark contrast to the soaring temperatures experienced across the country just weeks ago.
On April 27, Spain recorded its hottest-ever April temperatures – a whopping 38.7C – with the country on high alert for wildfires amid what was described as the worst dry spell ‘in a thousand years’.
The country was enveloped by warm, dry air from North Africa that drove temperatures to ‘levels normally seen in summer’, according to meteorologists.
But such conditions were not localised to April – this year Spain witnessed less than half of the average rainfall in the first four months of the year, which led to near drought-like conditions.
Now, farmers previously burdened by water shortages are facing the prospect of flooding and damage to their crops by hailstones.
The erratic weather patterns have left scientists and meteorologists puzzled, struggling to make sense of the dramatic shifts.
It comes just days after the Italian region of Emilia Romagna was devastated by widespread flooding that left at least 13 dead.
Rescue crews are still working desperately across several towns and villages battered by heavy rains and flooding as authorities begin mapping out clean-up and reconstruction plans.
The extreme weather behind this week’s disaster – a prolonged drought punctuated by 36 hours of intense rainfall, two weeks after another downpour – led to two dozen rivers and tributaries bursting their banks.
The force of water sent torrents of mud tearing through entire towns in Emilia-Romagna, flooding storefronts and basements.
Local mayors warned that some remote villages were still completely cut off because landslides had made roads impassable and phone service remained severed.
The sky high temperatures were even too warm for sunseekers. Tourists in Seville tried to cool down at a fountain
An aerial view shows partially submerged cars at a flooded area following the overflowing of a river, in the center of Lugo, near Ravenna, Italy on Thursday
An aerial view shows partially submerged cars at a flooded area following the overflowing of a river, in the center of Lugo, near Ravenna, Italy on Thursday
The landslides have prevented rescue teams from reaching residents and authorities from understanding the full scope of their needs, said Mercato Seraceno mayor Monica Rossim (Pictured: Volunteers at work on Thursday)
Military officers assist a person on a dinghy after heavy rains hit Italy’s Emilia Romagna region, in Faenza, Italy, May 18, 2023
A woman holds a pet carrier as she walks in a flooded street in the town of Lugo on May 18, 2023
The landslides have prevented rescue teams from reaching residents and authorities from understanding the full scope of their needs, said Mercato Seraceno mayor Monica Rossi.
‘If it rains any more, the situation will be tragic,’ Ms Rossi warned on Sky TG24, standing on a road with a chunk missing from a landslide.
The death toll rose to 13 after more bodies were discovered on Thursday in the hard-hit province of Ravenna, state-run RAI television reported, citing the Ravenna prefecture.
Among them were a couple in their 70s found dead in their flooded apartment in Russi after their son sounded the alarm that he had lost contact with them.
The horrendous flooding saw Sunday’s Formula One Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix called off on Wednesday, with officials, drivers and teams united in recognition that all available services should be committed to rescue efforts.
More than 10,000 people have fled their homes, some plucked from rooftops or balconies by rescue helicopters and others ferried out on dinghies. One family with a 20-day-old baby was rescued on Thursday morning, said Cesena mayor Enzo Lattuca.
Another packed their belongings into an inflatable pool which they floated down the thigh-high river of mud that was previously a street.
Italy was not alone in coping with heavy rainfall, as parts of Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia also reported flooding and landslides that required evacuations.
