A few rare days of snow in Madeira...
(1st week January 1999)
below: photos

Christmas had passed with a new glistening look and design of lights for Madeira's annual electric costume.
The New Year saw one of the best fireworks display ever held in Madeira; in a way a rehearsal for the great fireworks display for the end of the millenium.
The weather had been fantastic for weeks.
And then suddenly, when Madeira had come out of its holiday slumber, a gentle almost incandescent snowfall settled overnight during the latter part of the first week of January. In the morning some Madeirans reached, unexpectedly, and surprised, for their warm clothing again. They looked towards the top of the mountain and saw the rare white blanket bleaching the nearly always green and verdejante peaks of Madeira.

Some people could not hold the excitement in and spent the day in the snow. Building snowmen, and throwing snowballs in a rare opportunity to let off some steam. Entire families and groups of friends went to the best parts of the "Serra" - the plateau on top of the Madeiran heights.

Soon enough the characteristic clump or snow pyramid was built and placed on the bonnet of many cars. Visitors to the snowbound areas would proudly display their 10 inch snow pyramid on the bonnet of their cars in places such as Camacha, Santa Cruz, and São Vicente. Later the snow melted as they would approach Funchal and sea level. And, In the same way the snow trickled off the bonnet of the cars, the snow quickly disappeared two days later from the Madeiran mounts.

But we have kept a few memories below. Just click on any of the text links and a pop-up window will display the full size picture.

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