HEAVY snowfall has blanketed large swathes of northern Spain this weekend after a teeth-chattering Arctic blast plunged temperatures across the peninsula.

Earlier this week, the state weather service Aemet issued an orange weather alert warning that flakes would fall - and the predictions proved correct with much of Spain feeling the freeze.

With temperatures up to ten degrees lower than normal for mid-November, the snowline in elevated areas dropped as low as 500 metres.

Temperatures plunged to -10C near the Pyrenees as the wintery weather set in, with snow causing widespread disruption on elevated roads.

To make matters worse, gusts of over 60km/h have added an extra chill to the cold conditions.

From Sunday, the mercury is forecast to finally climb back towards levels more normal for late autumn.