PHOTOS from outer space have shown a rare image of Spain with nearly half the mainland coated in white – but it has turned out to be a useful tool for anyone travelling in the next few days as they know where to avoid.
Snowy Spain seen from outer space helps travellers plan their journeys (Photo: European Space Agency)
For some, 'avoidance' may not be their intention, but weather office representatives have warned against making trips out to 'see the snow', due to the risk of getting trapped on roads not yet cleared.
Residents can also see from the picture, taken by the European Space Agency (ESA), where they can safely travel to, since large parts of the mainland remain unaffected – except by low temperatures for the time of year.
The east coast, including most of Murcia and the Comunidad Valenciana and a slightly thinner strip of Catalunya have no snow, other than in isolated, very high-altitude areas – typically, in coastal regions, it is rare to see snow much below 1,000 metres and, at less than 500 metres, normally makes news headlines, other than at most a light dusting which melts within hours.
Again, other than on the tops of high mountains, Andalucía is nearly snow-free, as is Extremadura in the west, and Portugal.
Galicia, southern Castilla-La Mancha and the northern coastal strip across Galicia, Asturias and Cantabria are free from the white stuff, and it is largely absent now in Castilla y León, a large region to the north-west of the centre, above Madrid, which traditionally sees some of the lowest winter temperatures in Spain and the shortest and coolest summers.
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