A brutal Arctic storm has unleashed travel chaos across Europe, severely disrupting the plans of thousands of British tourists. The freezing conditions have led to hundreds of cancelled flights, a record-breaking 1,000-kilometre traffic jam in Paris, and a severe red alert for flooding in Spain's popular Costa del Sol.
Northern Europe Gripped by Snow and Ice
The start of the week saw much of Northern Europe blanketed in snow, causing misery for travellers. At Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, a staggering 700 flights were cancelled, accounting for more than half of all scheduled arrivals and departures on Tuesday. Airport authorities directly blamed the severe wintry conditions for the widespread disruption.
In France, the national meteorological service, Meteo France, issued an orange alert for snow and ice across much of the northwest, including Paris. Consequently, Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports reduced their flight schedules by 15 per cent. The situation on the roads was even more dire, with motorists in the French capital trapped in a historic 1,000km-long traffic jam, far exceeding the region's usual peak congestion of around 300km. This gridlock followed an order from French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot imposing speed restrictions of 80km/h on Parisian roads.
Rail and Southern Europe Also Hit Hard
Passengers hoping to travel by train faced similar setbacks. Six Eurostar services between London St Pancras and Paris Gare du Nord were cancelled on Tuesday, with most other services experiencing significant delays. By Wednesday morning, services to Paris remained delayed, while trains to Brussels and Amsterdam were cancelled entirely, marking another blow for the rail operator after a major power outage caused chaos in December.
While the north battled snow, southern Spain was pummelled by Storm Francis. Up to 200mm of torrential rain fell on the Costa del Sol, prompting authorities to issue a red alert for an 'extraordinary flood risk'. The storm turned streets into rivers, flooded apartment blocks, and led to evacuations. In Malaga, at least 12 families had to be evacuated from their flats, while in nearby Estepona, dramatic footage captured a car being swept away by powerful waves. Around 470 homes were evacuated in the Cadiz area due to the severe flooding.
A Tentative Calm on the Horizon
There is some hope for improvement as the week progresses. From Thursday, Meteo France has downgraded its orange snow alert for most areas to a yellow warning, advising residents to remain vigilant. In Spain, the intense rainfall is expected to be replaced by colder conditions, with forecasts predicting around 5cm of snow across large sections of the country. While the weather is set to be less turbulent, the clear-up operation from this major storm system will continue for days.
