Spain is bracing for widespread disruption as Storm Emilia sweeps across the country this weekend, prompting weather alerts across multiple regions. The Spanish State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has warned of strong winds, heavy rainfall, and even snowfall – particularly at higher elevations and in the Canary Islands – as the Atlantic storm system moves eastward. Residents and travelers are advised to monitor conditions closely, with potential hazards including flooding, rough seas, and falling debris.
A powerful storm system, dubbed Emilia, is bringing significant disruption to Spain, with strong winds, heavy rainfall, and even snow expected across parts of the country throughout the weekend. The Spanish State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has issued warnings for numerous regions as the Atlantic front moves eastward.
The storm is currently situated between the Gulf of Cádiz and the Canary Islands, bringing persistent and heavy rains to southwestern Spain, the Strait of Gibraltar, and the Canary Islands, according to Aemet. Intense wind gusts, hail, and thunderstorms are also anticipated in some areas.
Beyond the heavy rainfall, snow is possible, particularly at higher elevations in the mountains. The Canary Islands are also forecast to see snowfall on certain mountain ranges.
Yellow and orange alerts are in effect across several regions of Spain as Storm Emilia arrives, bringing intense precipitation to the northern Canary Islands, as well as parts of Andalusia, Ceuta, and Melilla. The heavy rains could spread to the Mediterranean coast, including regions like Murcia, Valencia, Catalonia, and the Balearic Islands, over the weekend.
The Canary Islands are expected to bear the brunt of the storm, with unstable conditions continuing throughout the weekend, especially on Saturday, December 13. Strong showers, sometimes accompanied by hail and thunderstorms, are forecast, with the most significant impacts expected from mid-Saturday in the eastern islands and from noon in the western islands.
Wind gusts could exceed 90 km/h (56 mph) in high areas and on mountain peaks, where snow is also expected this weekend. Officials warn of potential hazards such as falling branches and objects, the possibility of waves sweeping people off piers, beaches, or cliffs, and potential flooding.
⚠️ NOTA INFORMATIVA | Temporal de viento, oleaje y lluvias intensas en Canarias y suroeste peninsular.
🌬️Caída de ramas y objetos.
🌊El mar puede arrastrar a personas en espigones, playas o acantilados.
⛈️ Posibles inundaciones y crecidas.https://t.co/0qneNvQx4A pic.twitter.com/UdbQGuYZVh
Southern Andalusia, Ceuta, Melilla, and areas of the Strait of Gibraltar are also bracing for very heavy rainfall, particularly on Friday and Saturday. Aemet has activated yellow and orange alerts for these regions due to the strong precipitation, which could exceed 100 mm (almost 4 inches) in 12 hours.
The storm’s influence could extend to the Mediterranean coast in the coming days, potentially affecting the coasts of Valencia and Murcia.
🌀La borrasca Emilia provocará tiempo adverso el viernes en el sur peninsular y Canarias.
➡️Peligro importante por fenómenos costeros en Tenerife y La Gomera. También en Galicia. Precaución: el mar puede arrastrarte.
➡️Lluvias muy fuertes en el área del Estrecho y Ceuta. pic.twitter.com/f882982IDO
Conditions are expected to improve starting Sunday, December 15, as Storm Emilia weakens as it moves across the Iberian Peninsula. However, the southeast and east of the country will likely continue to feel its effects into next week, with many provinces remaining rainy.
Temperatures Rising, But Snow Still Expected
Temperatures are expected to remain relatively stable this week despite the arrival of Storm Emilia. Aemet reports that temperatures will rise in the western half of the country, with noticeable increases in the far west, the upper Ebro valley, and the eastern part of the southern plateau. Values are likely to moderate compared to the beginning of the week, remaining around 15 and 10 degrees Celsius (59 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit), slightly above average for this time of year.
♨️ Meteorological winter pulls a punch in Europe.
Spain and Portugal are practically the only countries with normal temperatures for this time of year. ❄️🎅 The arrival of the cold winter in the old continent is not expected until at least Christmas.
More significant changes are expected in the minimum temperatures in the Canary Islands and the northwest quadrant, where values could drop several degrees compared to previous days. Weak frosts will continue in the mountains of northern Spain, and snow is possible on the highest peaks of the archipelago.
On Sunday, the situation is expected to continue improving as Storm Emilia moves away from the southwestern peninsula. However, intense frosts are still likely in inland areas of the peninsula and in some mountain ranges in the north.
