A rainy weekend: four days of rain, snow, wind and rough seas are set to begin

BarcelonaThe significant weather change we predicted a few days ago is finally here. This Saturday, the mixing of a mass of cold air of polar origin with the arrival of humid chaloc winds will bring widespread rain, as well as significant snowfall in the mid and high elevations of the southern Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees. Rain will continue in many areas on Sunday, with wintry conditions and rough seas throughout the weekend. Furthermore, a Mediterranean low-pressure system will form, bringing easterly and northeasterly winds to Monday and Tuesday, with heavy rain, significant snowfall in the eastern Pyrenees, rough seas, and strong winds. The Inuncat plan is currently in its pre-alert phase, and Meteocat has issued numerous alerts for heavy rain, accumulations exceeding 100 l/m² in 24 hours, snow, and rough seas.

Saturday: Umbrella day

The weekend will start off quite eventful. Rain will move from the sea towards the land, affecting the Lleida and Tarragona regions, as well as the Pyrenees, primarily during the early morning hours. However, rain is possible anywhere in the morning, as it will become more widespread throughout the country as the day progresses. Some downpours may be locally intense and accompanied by thunderstorms in coastal, pre-coastal, and southern areas.

Attention if traveling to the mid and high elevations of the Pyrenees: your vehicle must be well-equipped. Widespread snowfall is expected, particularly affecting the entire southern slopes, as well as the higher elevations of the Pre-Pyrenees. Between 20 and 50 cm of new snow could accumulate in these areas over the weekend, with the heaviest accumulations in the eastern sector. The snow level will fluctuate between 1,400 and 1,600 m, although it may locally fall below this level in the western sector. Therefore, unlike recent snowfalls, this time snow will not be seen in the valleys.

The northeasterly wind (xaloc) will strengthen and be felt especially along the coast and at higher elevations in the Pyrenees, with rougher sea conditions. Rain is also expected throughout the day in the Balearic Islands and parts of Castellón, while the rest of the Valencian Community will see clearer skies with only a few scattered, light showers. Daytime conditions will be more wintry, with highs of 8 to 13 °C and high humidity. Conversely, lows will rise due to cloud cover, with moderate cold in the early morning.

Sunday: the unsettled weather will continue

The unsettled weather will continue on Sunday. It will be another gray and rainy day across much of the country. However, there may be some breaks in the rain towards the south and west, while it will continue to rain in the Girona and Barcelona regions, as well as parts of the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees. Snowfall will also continue in the Pyrenees, especially in the eastern Pyrenees, with the snow level remaining around 1,500 or 1,400 meters. Another day for umbrellas, with winds shifting to the east along the northeast coast, rough seas, and temperatures similar to Saturday's. It will be moderately cold at night and in the early morning, with wintry conditions at midday, and many highs again ranging between 8 and 13 °C, lower in mountainous areas. Lighter and more scattered showers are also expected in Castellón and the Balearic Islands.

East and northeasterly storms expected next week

The formation of a Mediterranean low-pressure system will bring a storm with strong easterly and northeasterly winds at the start of next week. Heavy rain is expected across the region on Monday and Tuesday, particularly in the northeast and coastal and pre-coastal areas. Current weather maps indicate that these areas could see accumulations of over 100 or 200 liters per square meter in some cases. In anticipation of this, the Sau-Susqueda, Foix, and Darnius Boadella reservoirs are continuing to release water to accommodate the expected rainfall, as the internal basins are currently at 86% capacity, with some reservoirs nearing full. Significant snowfall is also expected in the mid and high elevations of the eastern Pyrenees with this new storm. In regions like Ripollès, Vallespir, Conflent, and Alta Cerdanya, local accumulations of 1.5 meters or more of new snow are possible between Saturday and Tuesday. On Tuesday, the heaviest rainfall could shift between the Ebro River basin and the Valencian Community, although this information is still unclear at the moment. A severe storm with strong winds and rough seas is also expected along the entire Catalan coast, centered on the Costa Brava. Waves will exceed 4 to 6 meters in height. This situation will need to be monitored very closely.