IN PICTURES: Big freeze in the north of Spain and Mallorca

PARTS of the north and central parts of Spain and the island of Mallorca have been blanketed by the first significant snowfall of winter.

The snow is likely to stop falling today but the freezing temperatures from the mass of polar air over the country are likely to remain until Thursday.

A spokesperson from the state meteorology agency (Aemet), Delia Gutiérrez, has said the orange warnings (important risk) will be reduced today because “less accumulations of snow are expected”.

“Sunday will begin the change. There will be stabilisation. Rainfall will cease, daytime temperatures will increase and the wind will decrease in general, but the north wind will remain in the extreme northeast of the peninsula and in the Balearic Islands.”

In the Pyrenees the snow levels will be between 200 and 400 metres, from 400 to 500 metres in the Balearic Islands and 500 to 700 metres in the centre and east of the peninsula.

From Sunday, fogs will appear in interior regions and the north of the peninsula, especially in the Duero and the Ebro valleys.

The anticyclonic situation will stay at least until Thursday, when daytime temperatures will approach normal values for the time of year and the minimums will be “very low”, according to Gutiérrez.

No da tregua la nieve en @vitoriagasteiz @elpais_pvasco @FotografiaPais pic.twitter.com/jQ070eZ0Z2

— L. Rico (@lrico_fotografo) December 1, 2017

Frío, nieve y lluvia en toda España durante el fin de semana https://t.co/Kc6crxDY1V pic.twitter.com/1kzU6IvS3L

— Crónica Global (@cronicaglobal) December 2, 2017

La nieve también ha llegado a una de las zonas más frías de España, #Calamocha (#Teruel). Aquí los proximos días se quedaran muy cerca de los -10ºC.
Foto vía @jimenacristinez. pic.twitter.com/kt2X5Cg8WM

— Meteo Aragón (@meteo_aragon) December 1, 2017

Ha llegado la nieve al viñedo de Rioja. Con el frío la viña se ve beneficiada, hace una parada vegetativa. La savia deja de circular y la planta se repone. Esto garantiza un buen inicio de ciclo cuando llegue la primavera. #Riojawine #vinos #enoturismo pic.twitter.com/cZyVFpI4gZ

— Rioja Wine España (@RiojaWine_ES) December 1, 2017

Por fin llegó la nieve al norte de España. Vitoria-Gasteiz amaneció cubierta de nieve ❄ #FelizViernes #HolaDiciembre pic.twitter.com/PVzJeFjQ6E

— Guía Repsol (@GuiaRepsol) December 1, 2017