Let's get our coats ready: this week we'll have the first tasting of winter.

BarcelonaAfter the recent Indian summer, the weather will change dramatically this week. We are on the verge of a cold front from the Arctic that will cause a significant drop in temperatures. In fact, the mercury will continue to fall each day, with the coldest conditions expected by the middle and end of the week. Get your coats ready for the first real taste of winter ahead of schedule. Temperatures are expected to be well below average, between 5 and 10 degrees Celsius lower than usual for this time of year, starting on Thursday. Much of Europe will be affected by this Arctic air mass. We'll wake up to colder weather this Monday, so it's essential to bundle up first thing in the morning. Some scattered afternoon showers are expected in the northeast today, along with some precipitation on the northern slopes of the Pyrenees, accompanied by mistral and tramontana winds that will be stronger at the extremes. And on Thursday a front will bring more showers, with the snow level plummeting below 1,000 m.

Monday: Winds at the extremes and showers in the northeast

Today, the Tramontana and Mistral winds will blow across the Empordà region, the Pyrenees peaks, and the Ebro Valley, with some moderate gusts. The Tramontana will cause rough seas north of Cape Begur, and its tailwind will generate cloud cover along the central coast, where a few showers are possible towards evening. Overcast skies will persist on the northern slopes of the Pyrenees, with showers becoming more frequent, especially in the afternoon. The snow level will drop from 1,900 meters to 1,600 meters by the end of the day. These showers will be light and scattered. Elsewhere in the country, sunshine will prevail, but some scattered showers are expected in the northeast during the afternoon, particularly affecting parts of the Pyrenees and eastern Pre-Pyrenees, where thunderstorms are possible.

Temperatures have dropped significantly overnight, and we woke up to a markedly colder atmosphere. Morning lows are expected to be between 3 and 9°C inland, around 10°C on the coast, and with some light frost in the Pyrenees. Maximum temperatures will remain largely unchanged, although they will begin to decrease in the Pyrenees and the northeast, with highs not exceeding 12°C in the Pyrenean valleys. Inland highs will reach 17°C, and temperatures will hover around 19-20°C on the coast.

Winter weather expected from midweek onwards.

The first few days of the week will be sunny and relatively calm. However, the mistral and tramontana winds will strengthen on Tuesday, bringing quite rough seas to the northern Costa Brava. From Wednesday onwards, temperatures will drop more noticeably, making the second half of the week feel wintry, with below-average values. Looking ahead to Thursday, models indicate the reactivation of Arctic polar air (with temperatures at 5,500 m around -30 °C above us). This very cold air mass, upon contact with the warm air above the Mediterranean (in contrast to the polar air), will generate bands of active clouds, bringing showers, thunderstorms (with sleet or snow flurries), and snowfall at low elevations. In fact, if the forecasts hold true, we could see snow at elevations close to 800 m on Thursday in the Pyrenees and the northeast, locally even lower. It wouldn't be a major storm, but we could see snow in areas that don't usually appear in November. The weekend looks like there won't be any precipitation outside the northern slopes of the Pyrenees, where snow could fall at all elevations. By Friday, minimum temperatures will be about 8 degrees Celsius lower than current levels in the Pyrenees, with intense frosts in the high mountains (dropping to -7°C in the valleys). We should start switching out our wardrobes and getting our coats ready.