Snowy splendour: Santa Pola’s 70th anniversary of rare historic snowfall

February 4 marked the 70th anniversary of a momentous event, the historic snowfall that blanketed Santa Pola.

In the winter of 1954, Spain experienced an unforgettable episode as a massive snowstorm swept through the country, reaching even the southern coastal town of Santa Pola, where such occurrences are a rarity.

On that fateful day, an unprecedented storm graced Santa Pola with snow, leaving captivating images in iconic locations like the port, the Castle, the Glorieta, and the Calvario.

This meteorological marvel stands out as one of the 20th century’s most significant events, a convergence of perfect factors that led to a white blanket covering nearly the entire Peninsula and the Balearic Islands.

The phenomenon was triggered by an invasion of extremely cold air from north-central Europe, harmonising with a substantial infusion of humidity from the Mediterranean.

These usually elusive conditions coincided, resulting in widespread snowfall across numerous regions.

The southern Spanish coast saw snow depths reaching 10/15 cm, accompanied by record-low temperatures that endure in some meteorological observatories to this day.