2024 starts with stable weather except in the north, on alert for wind and rain

The new year begins this Monday with general stability except for rain in the northwest of the peninsula and moderate (yellow) or significant (orange) risk in the north due to coastal phenomena.

Oliver Thansan
Oliver Thansan
31 December 2023 Sunday 09:24
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2024 starts with stable weather except in the north, on alert for wind and rain

The new year begins this Monday with general stability except for rain in the northwest of the peninsula and moderate (yellow) or significant (orange) risk in the north due to coastal phenomena.

According to the forecast of the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet), the waves will put Pontevedra on yellow alert, while A Coruña, Lugo, Asturias, Cantabria, Guipúzcoa and Vizcaya will be on orange alert for the same phenomenon, with waves that may reach up to seven meters.

Thus, this January 1, winds from the south and west are expected in the Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, with the southwest predominating. These will be more intense in the northwest quadrant of the peninsula, even strong with very strong gusts on the coasts of northern Galicia and the western Cantabrian Sea. In the Canary Islands, variable light winds will predominate with a predominance of the easterly wind.

In general, on this day a new Atlantic frontal system is expected to penetrate the northwest of the Peninsula, leaving cloudy or overcast skies and cloudiness that will increase in the rest of the northwest half.

In this way, rainfall is expected in Galicia and the western Cantabrian mountain range, more abundant in western Galicia, and it is not completely ruled out that, occasionally, it may extend to the north of the Northern plateau, eastern Cantabrian sea and the Pyrenees. It is also not ruled out that precipitation will be in the form of snow in the mountains.

Furthermore, in the southeast half and the Balearic Islands the day will begin with abundant medium and high cloudiness, which will retreat towards the east, leaving little cloudiness or high clouds. Occasional weak rainfall is not ruled out in Andalusia, Alborán, Ampurdán and the Balearic Islands. Low cloudiness is also expected in much of the interior of the southern half of the peninsula.

Likewise, in the Canary Islands there will be cloudy skies with the possibility of precipitation in the western islands, more likely in La Palma, and slightly cloudy in the rest.

Snow levels, for their part, will be 900/1,200 meters rising to 1,200/1,600 in the Pyrenees and the Cantabrian mountain range and precipitation in the form of snow will be more likely in the Cantabrian region. In addition, morning mists and fog banks are not ruled out in Castilla-La Mancha, northern and western Andalusia and in the depressions of the northeast.

Regarding temperatures, the maximum temperatures will increase in the northwest and will decrease in the Mediterranean area, while the minimum temperatures will decrease in the Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, except in the peninsular Mediterranean area and on the Galician coast, where they will rise.

In the Canary Islands, few changes are expected in this regard, while weak frosts are expected in the northern plateau, the Pyrenees and the southeastern mountains. These will be moderate in the Pyrenees.

Already on Tuesday, January 2 and on Wednesday, the 3rd, the entry of a front is expected that will begin to penetrate the northwest of the peninsula in the first half of Tuesday and will leave cloudy or overcast skies and precipitation in the northwest third, which from Wednesday they would spread throughout the Peninsula, less likely to the Mediterranean area.

During both days, a generalized thermal rise is expected that will be more pronounced in the case of minimum temperatures on Tuesday the 2nd in the northwest of the peninsula and on Wednesday the 3rd in the interior of the peninsula and the Mediterranean area, therefore reducing the extent of the frosts. , as explained by Aemet in the special forecast for the Christmas Holidays.

Throughout these days, winds from the west or southwest will also predominate, more intense in the Cantabrian and Mediterranean area. In the Canary Islands there will be greater uncertainty, although it is most likely that there will be slightly cloudy skies with light winds, although there is a small probability of light rain in the western islands for both days.

Looking ahead to Thursday, January 4 and Friday, January 5, the cold front that crossed the Peninsula in previous days will continue to leave rainfall in the southeastern half of the peninsula and the Mediterranean area.

On the other hand, the entry of a new cold front in the northwest, accompanied by an irruption of polar air, will lead to probable precipitation in the northern third, which will be in the form of snow in mountainous areas of the northern half during Thursday the 4th. and that will probably extend to the rest of the high areas of the Peninsula during Friday the 5th.

Likewise, temperatures will drop across the board on both days and more markedly on Friday the 5th in the southeastern half, once again increasing the extent of the frost zones. As for the winds, on Thursday they will predominate from the west or southwest and on Friday the 5th they will blow to the northwest.

In the Canary Islands, with great uncertainty, weak rainfall will be likely in the western islands, with light winds remaining, while, in general in Spain, temperatures will drop slightly during both days.

For Saturday, January 6 and Sunday, January 7, the entry of an arctic air mass is expected in the north of the peninsula, which will lead to a probable even greater drop in temperatures. Likewise, precipitation is expected in the northern third of the peninsula during Saturday the 6th, probably in the form of snow in mountainous areas that on Sunday may extend to other high areas of the interior of the peninsula.

For its part, the winds will predominate from the west on Saturday the 6th, turning north-northwest on Sunday the 7th, while in the Canary Islands there is a probability of precipitation in the western islands, with probable light winds.