- Title: Havana's Malecon seafront hit by cold front
- Date: 9th January 2017
- Summary: HAVANA, CUBA (JANUARY 9, 2017) (REUTERS) WAVE BREAKING AGAINST HAVANA'S MALECON SEAFRONT WALL TOURIST PHOTOGRAPHING SEA IN MALECON TOURISTS IN MALECON WITH WAVES IN BACKGROUND CLASSIC AMERICAN CAR PASSING ALONG MALECON AVENUE PEOPLE WALKING ALONG STREET WEARING WINTER CLOTHES CUBAN RESIDENT, MARIA FELIX SAAVEDRA, STOPPING TAXI (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CUBAN RESIDENT, MARIA FELIX SAAVEDRA, SAYING: "Wonderful because this year there has been no cold, so the cold weather is welcome." PEOPLE CROSSING STREET AGAINST GUSHES OF WIND WOMAN AND MAN IN WINTER CLOTHES (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) UNIDENTIFIED CUBAN RESIDENT, SAYING: "These (winter clothes) I hadn't worn for... This, well you hardly wear winter clothes; I hadn't worn this for about two years, not the hat or anything." PEOPLE WALKING WITH WIND FLAG FLAPPING IN WIND FAMILY WALKING IN STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RESIDENT, IDANIA HERNANDEZ, SAYING: "Very abrupt, we hadn't felt this cold for a long time but it's nice, it's better than the heat. The heat is very stifling." VARIOUS OF WAVES BREAKING AGAINST HAVANA'S MALECON SEAFRONT WALL
- Embargoed: 23rd January 2017 20:02
- Keywords: Malecon Cuba rain cold front
- Location: HAVANA, CUBA
- City: HAVANA, CUBA
- Country: Mexico
- Topics: Environment,Weather
- Reuters ID: LVA0015YD1VSZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Cuba has experienced the arrival of the first cold front of its winter season this weekend with a mass of dry arctic air with strong winds that has forced Cubans to wear their winter coats on the Caribbean island.
On Monday (January 9), waves broke against Havana's Malecon seafront wall and splashed the contiguous avenue, which forced authorities to block off sections to motorists. Pedestrians had to deal with strong gushes of wind as they crossed some streets near the sea.
However, many Cubans are enthusiastic about the arrival of winter, which usually only lasts a few days.
"Wonderful because this year there has been no cold, so the cold weather is welcome," said Maria Felix Saavedra.
Many people walking along the streets of Havana were seen wearing their winter clothes on Monday, after a 2016 which was among the warmest in the history of the Caribbean island.
"These (winter clothes) I hadn't worn for... This, well you hardly wear winter clothes; I hadn't worn this for about two years, not the hat or anything." said an unidentified Havana resident.
The winter conditions began on Saturday (January 7) with a drop in minimum temperatures of 20 degree Celsius (68 Fahrenheit) to 12 degree Celsius (53 Fahrenheit) in the west of the country and in particular in the capital, Havana.
According to the National Institute of Meteorology, the weather pattern indicates they will remain until next Thursday.
Although the sun has risen and the maximum temperatures remain between 20 degree Celsius (68 Fahrenheit) and 23 degrees Celsius (73 Fahrenheit), the marked difference in temperature is perceived on the island after a warm end of the year that had maximum temperatures ranging between 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) and 32 degrees Celsius (89 Fahrenheit).
"Very abrupt, we hadn't felt this cold for a long time but it's nice, it's better than the heat. The heat is very stifling," said Idania Hernandez.
According to the Climate Centre of the Institute of Meteorology of Cuba, 2016 was the fourth warmest year in Cuba since 1951, a behaviour that ratifies the tendency of an increase in the average temperature observed on the island in the last six decades.
The national cold record is 0.6 degrees Celsius (33 Fahrenheit), recorded in the town of Bainoa, in western Cuba, on February 18, 1996. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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