How long will there be snow in Catalonia?

BarcelonaMarch brought extraordinary rainfall to much of Catalonia, finally ending the historic drought that had dragged on for more than three years. This precipitation, which in the high altitudes of the Pyrenees fell in the form of snow, accumulated to such significant depths that it hadn't seen for some time. Beyond ensuring an excellent end to the season at the ski resorts, this snowfall makes the Pyrenees look truly white and is a great reserve for the thaw that is already underway.

As temperatures rise, the snow will melt and continue to provide water to the rivers that flow into the main reservoirs. In fact, the thaw and the showers this Easter have made the rivers and streams of the Pyrenees very happy these days. And at the highest altitudes in some areas of the Pyrenees, there is still more than a meter or a meter and a half of snow. In fact, there are ski resorts with locally accumulated over two meters of snow in some sections. All thanks to the more than 300 l/m² recorded during March at the main headwaters of the inland basins.

This is a lot of snow that guarantees a steady rise in the reservoirs in the inland basins, which are already approaching 67%, a figure not seen since October 2021. Reserves are steadily heading towards 70%, and all this without counting the new precipitation. But how long will we be able to see snow in Catalonia? Well, it seems that the white color at the high elevations of the Pyrenees is here for a while. The depth is very significant and it won't disappear easily.

"Although the forecast for the months of May, June, and July is that temperatures will be above the climatic average, the large amount of snow that fell at the beginning of this spring will ensure that it will remain present in the high altitudes of the Pyrenees for quite a few weeks yet, despite the fact that the thaw has already begun," say sources. Therefore, there will be abundant snow, as there hasn't been for years due to the severe drought. With these forecasts, there may still be snow in some high areas of the Pyrenees at the beginning of summer.

However, the combination of abundant snow and the spring thaw can mainly cause wet snow avalanches. If you are doing high mountain activities during these days, it is always necessary to consult the Avalanche danger bulletin prepared daily by the Cartographic and Geological Institute of Catalonia (ICGC). It must be remembered that, although in seasons like this a lot of snow falls, The Catalan Pyrenees have no longer had permanent glaciers since 1990. due to the climate crisis and global warming.

How long will it rain and snow?

After a very changeable Easter with a bit of everything, the weather won't be clear in the coming days either. In fact, new spotty showers are expected this week in some areas, especially in the northern half of the country. This trend is also reflected in the maps for the coming weeks. "Long-term weather models indicate that rain will continue in Catalonia in May, especially in the coastal and pre-coastal areas," explains Meteocat.

In short, it will be a typical spring, with highly varied weather and frequent and irregular rainfall that will not affect the entire country equally. It should be noted that throughout spring, it is also common for cold air jams to arrive, temporarily lowering the snow level in the Pyrenees, adding more centimeters to the high altitudes.

But what do the long-term maps say about the weather in early summer? Will this rainfall trend continue? "June and July show no clear trend, although there is a sign of a negative anomaly that would affect the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees, meaning less rain than normal in these areas," conclude Meteocat sources.