How a Single Photograph Captured Murcia in White
Explore the historic blizzard in El Sabinar, Moratalla, where a rare mountain snowfall captured the region and sold out newsstands in 2007.
Unseasonable Snowfall in Mountain Murcia
The region of Murcia is celebrated across Europe for its enduring warmth, often boasting sunny winter afternoons around 20 degrees Celsius. Higher up in the mountain territory of Moratalla, however, winter tells an entirely different story. In elevated hamlets like El Sabinar, nighttime temperatures routinely drop below freezing, creating severe conditions that contrast sharply with the coastal plains below. In February 2007, weather forecasts hinted at incoming winter precipitation in the high country.
Remembering the previous year when local authorities restricted mountain road access to vehicles equipped with snow chains, the journey up to El Sabinar began early on a Friday afternoon. Upon arrival, only a light dust of snow had settled over the village, leading to a quiet evening with little indication of the historic blizzard about to unfold.
A Saturday Morning Transformation
Saturday morning brought an extraordinary surprise. The snowfall overnight was so intense that the front door of the home was physically jammed shut, held fast by a dense wall of white. Pulling hard against the heavy door finally opened a path outside, revealing a village buried under at least half a meter of fresh snow.
This dramatic winter landscape was virtually unknown to most residents of the region. Grabbing a camera to document the rare event became an immediate priority. Navigating the quiet streets, photographs captured the main thoroughfare of El Sabinar completely cloaked in deep drifts, transforming the familiar mountain street into a breathtaking alpine scene.
Making the Front Page of La Verdad
Recognizing the historic nature of the storm, several images were submitted to regional and national news outlets. The photograph of the snow-covered main street made an immediate impact, securing the prime front-page slot for the Sunday edition of La Verdad, the major regional newspaper. Covering more than a third of the cover, the image arrived precisely as the publication transitioned into full-color printing for its prominent pages.
During an era when digital news was still in its infancy, printed newspapers were a vital part of daily life, with Sunday editions being the most widely read. Driven by the mesmerizing visual of a snowbound mountain town, that Sunday issue completely sold out before noon across the region.
The Legacy of a Single Frame
Behind that front-page photo lay a series of memorable industry anecdotes. The newspaper’s primary staff photographer, who was away on vacation during the blizzard, called the newsroom in frustration on Monday morning, wanting to know who held the initials of the freelancer who captured the shot.
Years later, at a political press gathering in Murcia, another seasoned photojournalist reflected on how many years it had taken him to earn a front-page credit, marveling at the fact that a freelance submission had achieved it during one of Murcia’s most memorable storms. More than just a news story, that striking image of El Sabinar remains a timeless record of natural wonder, capturing a fleeting moment when one of the warmest corners of Europe woke up under a heavy blanket of snow.
Winter time in El Sabinar. This is an photograph of the main street which passes through the village. Photograph Jerome van Passel for the newspaper “La verdad” (2007)
