Alert today in many regions due to strong winds: the effects of Storm 'Pedro' are arriving

BarcelonaA front associated with the storm crossed us tonight. Peter This has brought some showers to the north, west, and the Ebro region. Rainfall was light, with some slightly heavier showers in the northeast that have left up to 12 liters per square meter in Banyoles (Pla de l'Estany). This weather front has opened the door to a new and strong wind that will affect many areas today, especially in the southern half of the region. It will be a windy and less mild day, after gusts exceeded 100 km/h in the high Pyrenees and in Portbou (Alt Empordà) in recent hours. The Ventcat plan is activated at the alert level, and Meteocat has issued numerous warnings for gusts that could easily reach 70 or 80 km/h, but which will exceed 100 km/h in the windiest areas, locally reaching 120 km/h. More snow is expected on the northern slopes of the Pyrenees, while the rest of the region will see more sunshine. However, this will be the final act of the fronts and storms of the last few weeks, as in the coming days the anticyclone will settle in and the weather will be calm and sunny.

Thursday: strong winds in many regions

Once the storm has passed, the big news this Thursday will be the strong westerly and mistral winds blowing across many regions. The most affected areas will be the southern coast and pre-coastal areas of Barcelona, ​​the Camp de Tarragona, the Terres de l'Ebre, other regions such as Anoia and Conca de Barberà, the northern Alt Empordà, the northern Castellón, Northern Catalonia, and the higher elevations of the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees. In these areas, winds could exceed 100 km/h, and even reach 120 km/h locally in the south of the country or at higher elevations in the northern Alt Empordà.

The wind will also blow strongly in the Barcelona area and in the Ponent region, although not with such extreme gusts, as well as in some valleys of the eastern Pyrenees. Gusts in these areas could locally exceed 70 or 80 km/h. Furthermore, continuous precipitation is expected on the northern slopes of the Pyrenees, with the snow level rising from the initial 700 m to 1,200 m by midday, although it will drop back down to 1,000 m in the afternoon.

Bright sunshine is expected across the rest of the country, with only lingering cloud cover in the northeast and other parts of the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees. Early morning, some isolated showers will remain along the Costa Brava and the Ebro River, but these will dissipate quickly. Temperatures will drop—except along the coast—with a steeper decline at midday. Highs will range between 12 and 18 °C, significantly lower in mountainous areas. In fact, conditions will be very adverse at higher elevations in the Pyrenees, with snow, blizzard conditions, very strong winds, and freezing temperatures.

The anticyclone is arriving

On Friday, the wind will still blow strongly in the south, in the Alt Empordà region, and on the Pyrenean peaks until midday, but will gradually subside throughout the day. There will also be some light and intermittent showers on the northern slopes of the Pyrenees. Sunshine and calm weather will gradually increase, with some cloud cover remaining, and by the weekend, a high-pressure system will have taken hold. We have several days of sunshine, calm weather, and occasional fog ahead. The temperature contrast between the moderate morning chill and the mild midday temperatures will also become more pronounced, as will the temperature inversion, with colder nights at lower elevations than at higher elevations. This sustained stability is something we haven't yet experienced this year.