A swathe of weather warnings have been issued across Spain as an Arctic blast brings rare snowfall to the country, with up to 25cm of snow expected to fall in some areas within 24 hours
Britons holidaying in Spain this week face potentially hazardous winter weather as an unusual Arctic surge sweeps the nation, bringing up to 25cm of snow to northern regions. Meteorologists have issued multiple fresh weather alerts across dozens of areas, including several tourist hotspots, warning of a “significant risk” of travel chaos for both visitors and residents.
The most substantial snowfall is anticipated near Santander, Bilbao and throughout the Cantabrian Mountains, where 25cm (10 inches) could accumulate within a day. Higher elevations – from approximately 900 metres upwards – are already experiencing settling snow, with the freezing level (the height where air temperature reaches 0C) set to drop to 700 metres by today’s end – particularly across northern areas.
Mountainous zones inland from Santander remain under alert for roughly 20cm of snow, whilst numerous renowned locations throughout Navarre and northern La Rioja anticipate up to 10cm, reports the Mirror. Even the typically temperate inland territory near San Sebastián is predicted to receive around 5cm as the frigid air mass penetrates further along the northern coastline.
However, the winter surprise extends beyond the northern borders. Snow is being recorded further south, encompassing areas around the Burgos Plateau, the La Rioja wine-producing region, inland Zaragoza province, and higher ground within the Castellón area north of Valencia. In addition to the risk of snow, weather experts have also issued warnings for rain, wind and storms in Mallorca, where strong gusts and heavy downpours are anticipated throughout the day.
The majority of these weather alerts will remain in effect until 6pm today. The Met Office has reported that temperatures across major Spanish cities are also on the chilly side. Zaragoza and Madrid are barely expected to reach 5C today, while Bilbao is sitting at 7C with rainfall.
Coastal favourites Valencia, Seville and Málaga are faring slightly better with temperatures around 10–11C and sunny intervals, while Barcelona will experience a cool 8C.
Approximately 18 million Brits visit Spain each year, making it the most popular holiday destination for UK citizens. Last month, British travellers were advised to prepare for severe weather warnings and potential travel disruption in Murcia, southeastern Spain, and Valencia, situated on the eastern part of Spain along the Mediterranean coast.
This follows a drop in temperatures as low as minus 11C overnight in the UK. According to the Met Office, this freezing temperature was recorded at Loch Glascarnoch in the Scottish Highlands, with the mercury dipping below minus 7C across much of the country.
Temperatures were slightly milder in England and Wales, with lows of minus 6C at Trawsgoed in Ceredigion, Wales and minus 4C at Rostherne, Cheshire.
Forecaster Simon Partridge explained that the drop in temperature was largely due to “a little ridge of high pressure moving across the UK overnight”, noting “the main difference between that and previous nights is the winds are a lot lighter”.