Aemet announces a radical change: from anomalous heat to a sharp drop in temperatures

From anomalous heat, to a thermal drop.

Oliver Thansan
Oliver Thansan
18 December 2023 Monday 22:12
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Aemet announces a radical change: from anomalous heat to a sharp drop in temperatures

From anomalous heat, to a thermal drop. The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) predicts for this Wednesday a sharp drop in temperatures on the peninsula, which will be more notable in mountain areas and in the southeast, where there will also be frosts that could be more intense, just like in the Pyrenees.

An Atlantic front is expected to finish crossing the Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, with cloudiness moving towards the southeast and precipitation. The rains will be weak and dispersed in general, in the south of Aragón, Castilla-La Mancha, central Andalusia and the Strait, without ruling out surrounding areas. After the front passes, clearings will tend to open and precipitation will subside.

In the extreme north and central areas of the country, a post-frontal situation is expected, with cloudy skies and precipitation, more intense and abundant on the Cantabrian coast, where they can be locally strong, even persistent in its eastern end.

Temperatures will drop sharply in the Peninsula, notably in the mountains and in the southeast. If this Tuesday they touched 30 degrees in Malaga and exceeded 25 in Murcia or Melilla, this Wednesday they will remain at a maximum of 20 in those provinces.

There will be no big changes in the rest. Frosts are expected in the mountains of the northern and southeastern half of the Peninsula, more intense in the Pyrenees where it is not ruled out that they may become moderate. The snow level in the Pyrenees will drop to around a thousand meters, the same as in the Central and Iberian systems and also in the Cantabrian mountain range where more than five centimeters of thickness can accumulate.

In addition, a westerly wind will blow that will turn northwest in the Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, strong or with strong intervals on the Cantabrian coast, the Balearic Islands and Alborán; and with very strong gusts in the lower Ebro, while in the Canary Islands it will be weak in the eastern component, with a tendency to roll northeast.

The Aemet has activated the yellow and orange warnings (significant risk) due to maritime storms and wind in up to eight communities: Andalusia, Asturias, the Balearic Islands, Cantabria, Catalonia, Galica, the Basque Country and Valencia.