Like the rest of northern Europe, Ibiza has been shivering in decidedly non-tropical conditions this last week. With a 'cold plunge' from Russia holding Europe in its icy grip even this normally mild Mediterranean isle felt the effects with temperatures in single figures in the evenings and through the night.
There were reports of sleet and hail falling in certain parts of the island and heavy rains prevented the start of the resurfacing of the roads in Ibiza town.
Two victims of the bad weather were the big digital temperature gauge in the Plaza Vara de Rey, and a pine tree struck by lightning in Ses Paisses near San Antonio. However the cold weather did bring a smile to the faces of local firewood sellers who were having a poor year to date, and clothes shops which sold more woolly jumpers in 2 days than in the whole of the winter so far.
Finally, high winds closed the ports of Ibiza, San Antonio, and Denia, extending the holidays of workers and schoolchildren alike, who had been visiting relatives on the Peninsula.