Alert for a new strong wind storm in many regions this weekend

BarcelonaThe weather will become complicated this first weekend of Holy Week. The passage of a new cold front will cause a new snowfall in the Pyrenees at very low altitudes starting Saturday afternoon. The north wind will strengthen, and on Palm Sunday we will experience a storm with strong gusts in many regions. The most affected areas will be the Pyrenees, Pre-Pyrenees, Girona regions, the Ebro, the south of Camp de Tarragona, Castellón, and the Balearic Islands. Gusts will widely exceed 100 or 120 km/h in the most affected areas, and conditions will be especially adverse in the Pyrenees, where the atmosphere will be icy and the phenomenon of whirlwinds will occur. These are days of high mobility, so maximum caution is advised, especially in mountainous areas and in the northeast. Civil Protection has already activated the alert for the Ventcat plan in anticipation of this episode.

The cause of this windstorm is found in the powerful cold northerly wind corridor towards our home, which has been generated between a strong anticyclone in the Atlantic and a low-pressure area in the Western Mediterranean. The atmosphere will be colder and more wintry on Sunday. Next week will still begin with wind and remnants of instability in the north of the country, but it seems we will face the key days of Holy Week with more calm and good weather.

Saturday: changes throughout the day

Saturday morning will be quite calm and sunny in most of the territory, with only remnants of some cloudiness and weak morning showers between the Balearic Islands and the south of the Valencian Country. The tramontana will remain in l'Empordà – with rough seas – and in the Pyrenean peaks – with blizzards –, as well as the moderate mistral in the south.

It will be from midday and during the afternoon when the approach of the cold front will begin to cause changes. Cloudiness will increase throughout the country from north to south, and the sky may even become overcast as the hours pass in many parts of the northern half. Precipitation will reach the northern face of the Pyrenees, which may jump to the north of the southern face at times. The snowline will drop from 1,200 to 800 m in the western Pyrenees, and from 1,600 to 1,400 m in the eastern Pyrenees.

Some showers may also escape from the afternoon in the northeast, and at night, downpours and some local thunderstorms or hail may occur between the coast and pre-littoral of Barcelona and southern Girona. Temperatures will be kept in check, with maximums similar or slightly higher. Many values will range between 13°C and 18 °C.

Sunday: windy weather

Once the front has passed, from tonight and throughout Sunday, a strong wind storm will occur in many regions. The most affected areas will be the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees –also in the valleys–, in the regions of Girona, Camp de Tarragona, Ebro, and Castellón. In these areas, speeds can easily exceed 100 or 120 km/h, with some local hurricane-force gusts of over 140 or 150 km/h. Meteocat has various alerts activated for strong wind this weekend.

Little or much, the wind will make itself felt everywhere, although it will blow more weakly in the Barcelona area. Also pay attention to the Balearic Islands, where the wind and rough seas will be very harsh. Maritime situation very altered on the Costa Brava, and very adverse conditions in the high areas of the Pyrenees, with very strong wind, icy atmosphere, snow and blizzard, a phenomenon that greatly reduces visibility and can cause accidents in the midst of an extreme weather context. Much caution, all activities planned in high mountains will have to be postponed.

The snowfall will remain on the north face of the Pyrenees, and will intermittently jump to the south face. The snow line will be very low, and it can snow at practically all altitudes. Meteocat warns of accumulations of more than 10 cm from 900 m on the north face, and 30 to 40 cm at high altitudes. Variable sky in the northeast, and more sun in the rest. Clear drop in temperatures, with a more wintry atmosphere and values below average.

Little by little, more calm

Next week will still start with strong winds in the extremities and snow on the north face of the Pyrenees. But as the days go by, the meteorological situation will gradually improve. The maps indicate that by mid-week the situation will be calmer, with temperatures gradually rising and becoming milder. Therefore, it seems that we will reach the key days of Easter week with much more usable weather.