In Pictures

In Europe, late spring feels more like winter in May

Hail storms, snowfall and gale-force winds brought wintry conditions across Europe.

Hail fell to give an apparent covering of snow in Bulgaria. On the plain south of the Danube. — Hail fell to create what looked like a covering of snow in Bulgaria on the plain south of the Danube. [Antoaneta Vladimirova]

Traditionally, Britons expect it to be cold and wet on a Bank Holiday Monday, so May 6, 2019, lived up to expectations, with temperatures in the UK a full 15 degrees Celsius below last year’s record-high figures.

Almost the whole of Europe has seen a brief return to a few days of winter-like weather because an Arctic wind blew south as the month of May came in. Temperatures dropped typically at least 10C from one day to the next. The driving force, a centre of low pressure over Scandinavia, seems to be reluctant to move.

Low-pressure centres often bring storms. Snow has fallen in the Netherlands, France, Germany and Switzerland. A gale blew down the Rhone valley, whipping up the Mediterranean. Hail fell thickly from thunderstorms in Bulgaria.

Clearing the road road near Spitzingsee, after snowfall in southern Germany — Roads needed to be cleared near Spitzingsee, after a late-spring snowfall in southern Germany. [Michael Dalder/Reuters]

A cold and, unusually for May, snowy morning in Feniers, central France. [Pascal Lachenaud/AFP]

Rough conditions but good practise as strong wind blows at the Plage du David beach in downtown Marseille. — Rough conditions offer good practise opportunities as strong winds blow at the Plage du David beach in downtown Marseille as Storm Eleanor hits southern parts of France. [Boris Horvat/AFP]

Cows may be surprised to see May snowfall in a paddock at Schliersee, southern Germany, May 5, 2019. — Unseasonable May snow in a paddock in Schliersee, southern Germany. The Netherlands, France and Switzerland all saw late-spring snow. [Michael Dalder/Reuters]

A snowplow works on the Gotthard pass, Switzerland — A snowplough clears part of the Gotthard pass that links the north of Switzerland to the south. It is expected to officially reopen at the end of May. [Alexandra Wey/EPA-EFE]

The snow covered village of Falcade after a snowfall in the Dolomites, northern Italy — Fresh snow covers the village of Falcade in the Dolomites, northern Italy. [Antonella Schena/EPA-EFE]

Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, 05 May 2019. Snowfall in the Alps has reached up to 20 centimetres — Early May snowfall in the Alps has reached up to 20 centimetres. [Philipp Guelland/EPA-EFE]

A man clears snow from a terrace in Vijlen, the Netherlands. The last time there was snow in early May here was in 1979. [Marcel Van Hoorn/EPA-EFE]