Atlantic Storm Bernard Forecast To Bring Extreme Weather To Many Parts Of Spain Early Next Week

SPAIN saw historical records broken this week as Storm Aline caused havoc across the country on Thursday and Friday with hurricane-force wind gusts and heavy rain.

Many flights had to be diverted, roads were closed due to flooding or fallen trees, and high-speed rail services were disrupted, along with short-distance trains and Metro systems as a result of the large quantities of water that fell.

Winds of up to 110 km/h were forecast this Friday, October 20, in the Cantabrian Sea, where waves of up to 10 metres in height were predicted by the experts.

Saturday, October 21

Saturday will see a partial and relative stabilisation of the weather in much of Spain. However, some rain is expected to fall in Galicia and Catalonia and in other points of the western half of the mainland according to AEMET, the State Meteorological Agency.

Tiempo previsto en Península y Baleares desde 20-10-2023 hasta 26-10-2023. Info siempre actualizada en https://t.co/keCWfwv3Ua pic.twitter.com/x2dertVgjK

— AEMET (@AEMET_Esp) October 20, 2023

Temperatures will drop, barely hitting 20ºC at around midday, except in coastal and southern areas. In the provincial capitals of Castilla y León, the maximum temperatures will remain between 13-14ºC degrees.

Central parts of the country and Madrid will reach 16ºC, with the minimum temperatures in parts of Aragon, Galicia and both Castiles expected to drop to between 4 and 7ºC.

Sunday, October 22

Storm Bernard will approach Spain on Sunday through the Gulf of Cádiz. It will leave rain in large areas of the southern, central, and western parts of the mainland.

🌀Nueva borrasca a la vista: el domingo llegará la #BorrascaBernard, que entrará por el golfo de Cádiz y atravesará la Península de sur a norte, dejando vientos intensos y lluvias abundantes a su paso. pic.twitter.com/2Fzj2ioFk6

— AEMET (@AEMET_Esp) October 20, 2023

This rainfall is predicted to be locally strong and persistent and accompanied by storms, especially in the west of Extremadura and Andalucia, and in the surrounding areas.

Strong gusts of wind are expected again in the south, especially in western Andalucia, as well as in central parts of the country and in the Pyrenees.

Del Campo emphasized keeping a close eye on this storm given the uncertainty it generates, warning that it could lead to ‘adverse effects’.

Monday, October 23

The new storm will cross Spain from south to north on Monday with widespread rainfall, except in the Mediterranean and the Balearic Islands.

It is forecast to be more abundant and persistent in the Pyrenees, the Central system and the extreme south of Andalucia. Strong winds could develop again and there could even be snow in the mountainous areas between 1,800 and 2,000 metres.

Temperatures will drop in the west and rise in the east, meaning that on the Mediterranean coast and the Balearic Islands, values could exceed 25ºC. Meanwhile, in Castilla y León it will barely reach 15ºC.

Tuesday, October 24

Widespread rain is expected across large areas of the country on Tuesday, although in general, it should be less abundant than the previous day, with temperatures tending to rise.

There is still a margin of uncertainty about the rest of the week say the experts. However, it is expected to be characterised by a dominant flow from the west.

This will most likely bring rainfall – generally less heavy than in previous days – to the Atlantic and Cantabrian coasts, as well as in the Pyrenees. It is possible that the Ebro Valley, the northeast of the mainland, and the Balearic Islands could be affected.