Alert for a new and 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 new snowfall in the Pyrenees at very low altitudes from Saturday afternoon onwards. The north wind will strengthen, and on Palm Sunday we will experience a storm with strong winds in many regions. The most affected areas will be the Pyrenees, Pre-Pyrenees, counties of Girona, Ebro, the south of Camp de Tarragona, Castelló, 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 freezing and the phenomenon of "torb" (blizzard) 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 the face of this episode.

The cause of this windy spell is found in the powerful corridor of cold wind from the north towards our region, 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 start with wind and remnants of instability in the north of the country, but it seems that we will face the key days of Easter 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 clouds and weak morning showers between the Balearic Islands and the south of the Valencian Country. The tramuntana wind will remain in Empordà –with rough seas– and on the peaks of the Pyrenees –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 even the sky may become overcast as the hours pass in many parts of the northern half. Precipitation will arrive on the northern face of the Pyrenees which may jump punctually to the north of the southern face. 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.

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

Sunday: wind storm

Once the front passes, 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, Ebre, and Castelló. 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 several alerts activated for strong wind this weekend.

Little or much, the wind will be noticeable everywhere, although it will blow weaker in the Barcelona area. Attention also to the Balearic Islands, where the wind and rough sea storm will be very harsh. Maritime situation very altered on the Costa Brava, and very adverse conditions on the high slopes 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, it will be necessary to postpone all planned high mountain activities.

The snowfall will continue on the north face of the Pyrenees, and will intermittently jump to the south face. The snowline will be very low, and it may 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 skies 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 at the extremes and snow on the northern 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 rising and becoming milder. Therefore, it seems we will reach the key days of Easter with much more profitable weather.