Snow level in Sierra de Tramuntana

Climate, snowfall and avalanches in Sierra de Tramuntana

The Tramuntana range is the main mountain system of the Balearic Islands, running 90 km in northwestern Mallorca with peaks up to 1445 m at Puig Major. Snow is rare but recurrent, associated with maritime polar or continental cold outbreaks crossing the Mediterranean. Typical snow level is 800-1200 m, with extraordinary drops to 200 m: January 2018, Lluc snowed at 500 m; February 2012, historical snowfall with 0.5 m at Puig Major. The season is limited to December, January and February, with an annual average of 3-5 days with snow on the summits. The maximum recorded depth exceeds 1 m in March 1956 (absolute record for the archipelago). No ski resorts or snow infrastructure exist. Avalanche risk is zero. Snow rarely persists more than 48 hours due to Mediterranean influence, but its arrival causes traffic jams on the Ma-10 road and school closures in Escorca, Soller and Pollensa. The range is a UNESCO World Heritage site (2011) for its cultural landscape of terraces built over centuries to capture runoff, preserving endemic species such as the ferreret toad.