THE national weather agency (AEMET) reported yesterday that an early morning storm raging near the Tramuntana mountains on Majorca had discharged 18'000 lightning strikes, the majority of them into the sea.
AEMET's delegate in the Balearics, Agustí Jansa reported that nearly all the lightning had occurred between 2am and 8am and that the storm had also left its mark in the area of the Tramuntana mountains, specifically in the area of Banyalbufar where rainfall of 4 litres per square metre was recorded.
Jansa explained that that this type of storm is typical of a situation where a cold weather front meets hotter air hovering at sea level, and is common in the summer months in the Balearic Islands.