The first is coming winter episode. The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has issued this Thursday a special warning of adverse phenomena due to a storm that will affect the northern half of the peninsula and the Balearic Islands from Saturday, December 7 until at least Tuesday the 10th. As detailed, the interaction between an Atlantic anticyclone and a storm centered over Central Europe will give rise between Saturday and Sunday to a entry of air of arctic origin that will intensify the storm.
Due to the arctic nature of this air mass, a plummeting temperatures, significant snowfall in large areas of the northern half of the peninsula and very strong winds. The weather situation is especially worrying, with a 70% chance that the adverse forecasts will come true. December long weekend, one of the periods of greatest mobility in Spain and in which we expect 6.6 million road trips.
He Saturdaya cold front will reach the far north, leaving significant snowfall in the Pyrenees and the Cantabrian mountain range. The snow level will drop to 900-1,000 meters in the afternoon and could drop to 500-600 meters at the end of the day in the Pyrenees. The storm will also bring Very strong gusts of wind, which could exceed 100 kilometers per hour in the northeast of the peninsula, high areas of the rest of the northern half and the Balearic Islands. Although less likely, these gusts could also affect elevated areas in the south. In addition, a strong maritime storm with intense waves is expected in the Cantabrian Sea, which will extend to the Balearic Sea during the second half of the day.
During the Sunday, This mass of cold air will spread to the rest of the Peninsula and the Balearic Islandswith a generalized thermal drop and snowfall that will affect other mountain systems in the north of the peninsula. In addition, there is a low probability that snowfall will extend to nearby areas of the northern plateau. According to the AEMET, the snow level will range between 500-700 meters in the northeast and 800-1,000 meters in other areas of the northern half. TheSnowfall will be more abundant in the Cantabrian mountain range and the Pyrenees. The maritime storm will also continue in the Cantabrian Sea and the Balearic Sea and the wind will intensify, making it the peak day for this phenomenon, mainly in the area around the Balearic Islands and the northeast quadrant of the peninsula, especially in the Pyrenees.
Throughout Sunday and Monday, Snow accumulations could exceed 40 centimeters in mountain areas above 1,200 meters, especially in the Cantabrian mountain range and the Pyrenees. For Tuesday, although the uncertainty is greater, the snowfall will continue, although it will be less intense and the snow levels will remain relatively low.