High wind warning: the effects of Storm Goretti are arriving

BarcelonaFollowing the definitive retreat of the very cold Arctic air mass of recent days, we have now entered a period of Atlantic fronts that will keep the weather unsettled in the coming hours, especially with regard to wind. Between yesterday and the last few hours, wind speeds have already exceeded 50 to 70 km/h along the coast and pre-coastal areas of Barcelona and Tarragona, as well as in higher elevations. A gust of 136 km/h was recorded at Puig Sesolles, at an altitude of 1,600 meters in the Montseny mountain range. This westerly wind has significantly raised temperatures, with a very moderate morning chill. A cold front associated with the powerful Atlantic low-pressure system is expected to pass through this Friday. Goretti It will reignite strong winds in many regions and bring widespread snowfall to the Pyrenees, along with scattered showers in other areas. Several weather alerts are in place, primarily for strong winds. This change in weather will subsequently lead to a significant drop in temperatures, with colder weather expected over the weekend.

Friday: busy weather

A cold front will bring unsettled weather this Friday. The main feature will be strong west and northwest winds, which will be felt in many areas. During the morning, the strongest gusts will be recorded along the coast and pre-coastal areas of Barcelona and Tarragona, as well as in higher elevations, especially in the northeast interior. The peak of the windstorm will arrive in the afternoon, with strong or very strong gusts that could exceed 70 km/h in many areas, and reach 100 km/h in the strongest locations. The height of the storm will last until nightfall and will mainly affect the Tarragona and Ponent regions, the coast and pre-coastal areas of Barcelona, ​​the Empordà, central and southern Catalonia, the peaks of the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees, and high-altitude areas throughout the region. The Ventcat plan is activated at the alert level, and Meteocat has issued strong wind warnings for many regions.

The front will also bring changeable skies and some scattered showers, especially in the afternoon in the south, the west, and particularly the northeast, where there will be some local thunderstorms accompanied by hail. The most significant snowfall will be in the Pyrenees, becoming more widespread as the day progresses. It will mainly affect the northern slopes of the Pyrenees, but will also spread to the southern slopes, impacting many valleys. This event will be accompanied by blizzard conditions in the high mountains due to the wind. The snow level will plummet, dropping from the initial 1,200 meters to 800 or 700 meters by the afternoon. Meteocat has also issued a warning for snow depths of more than 20 cm at 1,400 meters and 10 cm at 900 meters on the northern slopes of the Pyrenees. Throughout this event, accumulations of more than 40 or 50 cm are possible at higher elevations.

All this with temperatures that will remain relatively unchanged or rise slightly in most areas, but will drop in the Pyrenees. Moderate cold is expected in the early hours, with many highs between 10°C and 15°C, and many lows will be recorded in the Pyrenees in the late afternoon. Temperatures will plummet in the higher elevations of the Pyrenees, where they will remain below freezing all day. Strong winds are also expected in the Valencian Community and the Balearic Islands.

Colder weekend

Snowfall will continue in the Pyrenees on Saturday, although it will become concentrated on the northern slopes as the day progresses. Very adverse conditions are expected in the high mountains between Friday afternoon and throughout Saturday, with snow, strong winds, blizzards, and freezing temperatures. In the rest of the country, strong winds will persist on Saturday, gradually shifting to a mistral and becoming increasingly concentrated in the southern half, while the tramontana wind will return in northern Empordà. Intense gusts are also expected in the Balearic Islands. The passage of the front on Friday will open the door to cold air of polar origin, causing a further drop in temperatures, with cold and distinctly wintry conditions everywhere. However, temperatures will not reach anywhere near the extreme values of the Arctic cold snap of recent days. Many highs are expected to be between 8 and 13°C. The weather will improve on Sunday, with winds decreasing and no more rain in the Pyrenees.