Put These 5 Areas of Spain on Alert for What's Happening in the Next Few Hours

Spain faces a new meteorological episode with contrasts in different regions. While the anticyclone maintains stability in most of the Peninsula and Balearic Islands, an Atlantic front will bring changes in the northwest.

The front will cause cloudy or overcast skies in Galicia and the Cantabrian area. Rain will be more abundant in western Galicia, with the possibility of being locally heavy and persistent. In the Cantabrian Mountains, precipitation may be in the form of snow above 5,906-6,562 ft. (1,800-2,000 meters).

Active Warnings in Five Autonomous Communities

AEMET has already activated warnings in five communities for coastal phenomena and strong gusts of wind. Asturias, Cantabria, Galicia and Basque Country are on alert for waves. Catalonia, especially the southern pre-coastal area of Tarragona, is under warning for intense wind.

In A Coruña, on the western Asturian coast, on the coast of Cantabria, in Gipuzkoa and in Bizkaia, westerly winds of 31 to 38 mph (50 to 61 km/h) (force 7) are expected. Offshore, the combined northwest sea will reach heights of 13 to 16 ft. (4 to 5 meters).

But it's not just wind coming, an Atlantic front is approaching the peninsula and will increase cloudiness in the northwest quadrant. Rain is expected in Galicia and on the Cantabrian coast. Instability will extend to the Northern Plateau, the northern peninsula and the upper Ebro, but in these areas precipitation will be intermittent.

The rest of the country will maintain stability, with slightly cloudy skies or intervals of high clouds. In the Canary Islands, stable weather will prevail, although there will be cloudy intervals in the north of the islands with higher relief.

Wind will be an important factor in the coming hours. In the Strait and Alboran, easterly winds will turn to westerly. In Galicia and the Cantabrian, south and southwest winds will prevail, and very strong gusts are expected in northern Galicia and western Asturias.

In the rest of the Peninsula, winds will be from the west and southwest, moderate on coasts and inland areas. In the Canary Islands, trade winds will blow moderately.

A Temperature Drop in the Northwest, but a Rise in Other Regions

Maximum temperatures will drop in the far northwest. Meanwhile, in Levante—Valencia, Murcia and Catalonia—Ebro—Navarre, La Rioja, Aragon and inland Catalonia—Iberian and both plateaus—Castile and León, Castile-La Mancha and Madrid—values will increase moderately.

Minimum temperatures will rise in most of the country, with notable increases in Galicia and the Cantabrian. Conversely, they will decrease in the Mediterranean and Ebro. Few changes are expected in the Canary Islands.

Meanwhile, frosts will be weak and limited to mountain areas in the northern half and southeast. However, in the Pyrenees, these may be moderate.

There is no doubt that adverse weather conditions make it advisable to exercise extreme caution. Especially on the northern coasts, where waves can be dangerous. Also in Catalonia, where wind may cause problems in exposed areas.