The gale blew down a large tree in Son Armadans street on the night of 16 January. In the photo, firefighters work to clear the area this morning. Photo Mallorca Global Mag.

The wind and the cold will be the protagonists during the festivities of Sant Antoni and Sant Sebastià, according to the AEMET (AEMET).

The wind in Mallorca will continue to be active on the island today. The Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (AEMET) is maintaining the orange weather warnings for this Tuesday for winds of 90 km/h and swell until 20:00 h, when it will drop to yellow with maximum gusts of 70 km/h.

In the last 24 hours, the storm Fien has shaken the whole island, leaving gusts of up to 129 km/h in the Serra d’Alfàbia and 91 km/h in Palma.  In the early hours of the morning a multitude of branches and objects could be seen in the streets, as well as some damage to street furniture.

In view of the strong gusts of wind in Mallorca, Palma City Council has announced the closure of Passeig Sagrera for pedestrians until 13:00 h and has reminded citizens of the recommendation to avoid driving through areas with trees and large palm trees.

At sea, waves of five to six metres and winds of 60 to 70 km/h are expected, although the largest wave could reach up to ten metres. The orange level for coastal phenomena will be active all day.

The cold weather arrives

For Tuesday, the mercury is also expected to drop to a minimum temperature of between 10 and 12 degrees Celsius. From Wednesday onwards, the AEMET expects quite cold days with temperatures below normal for this time of year. Precipitation will be more likely in the central hours of the day and on Wednesday 18 January occasional and scattered showers will continue.

The weather in Sant Sebastià

On the eve of Sant Sebastià the wind is expected to blow and occasional showers are not ruled out. Temperatures will range between six and eight degrees. On Friday 20 January temperatures will rise to 12-14 degrees. Showers are expected to continue at least during the morning.

Caution with bonfires

Emergencias 112 Illes Balears has issued a series of tips to avoid incidents during the celebrations of Sant Antoni and Sant Sebastià.

For foguerons:

  • Avoid lighting them with petrol. Use gas oil or sawdust and paraffin tablets for rapid ignition.
  • Do not throw plastic or food leftovers on the fire.
  • Do not throw firecrackers on the fire.
  • In case of burns, apply cold water immediately. If it is extensive, go to the nearest health centre.

For the correfocs:

  • Wear cotton clothing with long sleeves, suitable footwear, a cap or headscarf, earplugs and goggles to protect the eyes.
  • Adopt a correct attitude towards dimonis and do not put obstacles in their way.
  • With children and older people, follow the party from a safe distance.
  • Do not touch or handle pyrotechnic devices.
  • In the event of a garment catching fire, it is recommended that the person affected should drop to the ground and roll over to smother the flames. Under no circumstances should you run away.