Winter Arrives: Cold, Snow, and Rain... and More Water in the Levante

After several days of unseasonable weather for November, the peninsula is set to face winter temperatures this Tuesday and Wednesday. The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has announced a drop in temperature and the arrival of cold and snow, especially in the north, and also heavy rains in the Levante peninsula and areas of the Valencian Community already affected by the DANA.

The Aemet issued a special adverse weather warning on Monday and for this Wednesday has issued an orange alert for rain (significant meteorological risk with some degree of danger for usual activities, the level before red) in areas of southern Valencia affected by the flood, and areas of the northern Alicante coast. There, precipitation of up to 40 liters per square meter is expected in one hour.

The Aemet spokesperson, Rubén del Campo, announced the imminent arrival from northern Europe of a DANA or a cold drop (the difference between the two phenomena lies in the layers of the atmosphere where each develops, but their effects are similar) that will lead to 'strong and persistent rains' in the Balearic Islands and the Mediterranean slope of the peninsula from Tuesday, without ruling it out in other areas. Temperatures will 'drop significantly' between Tuesday and Wednesday, and the snow level will be around 800 or 1,000 meters in the northern peninsula.

Specifically, on Tuesday, the DANA or cold drop will approach the peninsula, and instability will increase. There will be rain in much of the northern third of the peninsula, which will be abundant in the eastern Cantabrian, and stormy showers 'that could be very strong' on the Mediterranean coasts of the Levante and in the Balearic archipelago. 'Between 30 and 40 liters per square meter could accumulate, especially in the Balearic Islands, in just one hour and cause flooding in low areas,' Del Campo advances.

It will also snow, 'and it could do so copiously' in the Pyrenees, Cantabrian Mountains, and the north of the Iberian System, and more weakly in the Central System and the south of the Iberian System, 'all this with lower temperatures, north winds, and frosts in mountain areas.'

The Aemet has issued the orange warning for rain and storms in the Balearic Islands and Catalonia, as well as yellow for snow in areas of Castilla y León, for rain and waves in the Valencian Community, for waves in Galicia, and for wind in Aragon.

On Wednesday, the temperature drop will continue, but this day it will be more pronounced in the southern half. The weather will become cold, 'practically winter-like,' with frosts in mountain areas and plateaus in the center and east of the peninsula. Temperatures in the central hours of the day will remain between 10 and 15 degrees in the interior and below 20 in the rest of the territory.

In addition, rain will continue in the Cantabrian, 'but the most pronounced instability' will be recorded in the Balearic Islands, east, south, and center of the peninsula, 'although with uncertainty about the areas where it will rain the most,' Del Campo points out.

However, the rains could be 'strong or very strong and persistent' in the Balearic Islands, Levante area, and southern Andalusia. And it will snow in the mountains of the north and east of the peninsula. In fact, 'ten centimeters of snow or more' could accumulate in the Cantabrian mountain range of the Pyrenees.

Also for Wednesday, the Aemet has established orange warnings in the Valencian Community for rain and waves, especially in the southern coast of Valencia and northern coast of Alicante, where accumulations of 40 liters per square meter are expected in one hour; Andalusia for rain; and in the Balearic Islands for rain, storm, and waves. And yellow levels in areas of Castilla y León for snow; Catalonia, for rain and waves, and Galicia, for waves.

From Thursday, according to the Aemet spokesperson, the forecast uncertainty increases, although the areas with the highest probability of intense precipitation will be in the Levante area and southern Andalusia, 'but that will have to be confirmed.' It seems clearer that temperatures will rise significantly in much of the country, and the weather will be somewhat more autumnal and typical of November, not as wintry as the previous day. Snow will also retreat to higher levels.

Looking towards the end of the week, Del Campo forecasts that the peninsula will be exposed to the passage of Atlantic storms with possible rain in the west and milder temperatures.