Storm Ingrid: snow affects around fifty roads and the first snowflakes fall on Tibidabo
Sunday will bring another change in the weather, with sunshine across the country, a cool atmosphere, and only a few clouds.
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Heavy rain, snow, and strong gusts of wind have been reported in several parts of the country. The weather change this Saturday has been intense and very rapid, generated by a low-pressure system with very cold air aloft associated with the storm. IngridLocated on the Atlantic coast, Catalonia is experiencing heavy and abundant snowfall above 600 meters. This snowfall began this morning in the west of the region and will move eastward throughout the afternoon. So far, snow has been concentrated in the Segarra, Solsonès, Berguedà, Cerdanya, Ripollès, Bages, Alta Anoia, Moianès, and Selva regions, with notable accumulations such as 15 centimeters in Villalonga de Ter and 10 centimeters in Sant Guim de Freixen. Snow has also been seen on the summit of Tibidabo, near Barcelona, at an altitude of around 500 meters.
Social media has begun to fill with videos and images from users who have witnessed the snow, which is unusual at such low altitudes:
The arrival of cold air, as the disturbance passed, brought snow showers to lower elevations, around 300 or 400 meters. In fact, by mid-morning it was snowing heavily in regions like Moianès and Berguedà. In Sant Guim de Freixenet (Segarra), for example, 7 cm of snow had accumulated by noon. Rain also fell in the morning with moderate intensity, with heavier amounts along the coast and inland areas, notably 25 l/m² in El Vendrell, 23 l/m² in Cunit, and 21 l/m² in Montserrat, some of which fell as snow.
The snowfall is expected to continue, but in the coming hours it will lessen in central and pre-coastal Catalonia and move northeast, where it may continue throughout the afternoon with accumulations of more than 5 centimeters above 700 meters. In fact, rain and snow are expected to be confined to the Pyrenees and the northeast of the region, and by the end of the day, snow is expected only on the northern slopes of the Pyrenees.
The pre-alert status of the special avalanche emergency plan remains in place. Until midnight this Sunday, the danger remains at a high level in Ter-Freser and on the northern slopes of the Cadí-Moixeró mountain range, and the Pallaresa and Pre-Pyrenees areas have been added to the alert. However, the showers will move as far as the Empordà region, with total accumulations during the event potentially exceeding 100 liters per square meter. Therefore, Civil Protection is urging vigilance in the area due to water accumulation, as this precipitation will add to that of previous days.
Impact on mobility
Due to the changing weather, Civil Protection has issued an ES-Alert to five districts, requesting that movement be restricted due to snowfall in the area. Specifically, the alert applies to Solsonès, Moianès, Berguedà, Cerdanya, and Ripollès. The Catalan government warns that snowfall will continue in these districts throughout Saturday, urging drivers to limit their movement, avoid unnecessary travel, and, in any case, check road conditions and equip their vehicles accordingly. For example, use snow chains if driving on snow, ensure a full tank of fuel, and fully charged batteries. Currently, around fifty roads in Catalonia are affected by snowfall, concentrated in the Priorat and Montsant areas, the eastern Pyrenees (Ripollès and Berguedà), and mountainous areas and high passes in Lleida. Four roads are closed: the T-700 between Prades and Vilanova de Prades; the TV-7004 between Ulldemolins and Vallclara; the TV-7005 in Vilanova de Prades; and the BV-4031 between Toses and Castellar de n'Hug. On this last road (BV-4031), several vehicles are trapped. Firefighters have deployed five crews to assist and rescue trapped individuals, as well as to clear the road of vehicles to facilitate access for emergency services and snowplows. There is a lot of snow on the La Molina road, and the helicopter has been unable to reach it, so personnel equipped with skis have been deployed.
The deputy director of operations for Civil Protection, Imma Solé, urged caution when traveling and engaging in outdoor activities due to the adverse weather conditions across the country, and advised people to be prepared to respond to any emergencies. She explained that the 112 emergency hotline received over 400 calls related to the storm, more than half of which were concerning traffic incidents. Meanwhile, the Fire Department has already responded to approximately 40 calls.
Wind episode
During the afternoon and evening, precipitation will decrease across the central part of the country, with clear skies appearing in the west and southern Catalonia. Strong northwesterly winds (with blizzard conditions in the Pyrenees) will arrive this afternoon, along with westerly winds, with moderate to strong gusts, in the central Pre-coastal region, the Camp de Tarragona, and the Terres de l'Ebre. The Meteorological Service of Catalonia forecasts that gusts exceeding 90 km/h may be surpassed until Sunday morning in areas of the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees, the west, the northern coast, the southern central Pre-coastal region, the coast, and the Camp de Tarragona Pre-coastal region. Tomorrow, the weather will be radically different, with sunshine across the country, cold temperatures, and only some cloud cover in the northeast, which will not produce any precipitation.