Lorraine Williamson
Spain had barely caught its breath after Storm Claudia’s deluge when the country braced for another abrupt shift. Streets that had been awash in Galicia and parts of Andalucia only days ago are now drying under skies carrying a very different threat: a blast of Arctic air sweeping south across the peninsula.
It’s an unusually sharp turn for mid-November, a month that can still feel autumnal in many regions. Instead, much of Spain heads into the week with temperatures forecast to fall well below seasonal norms, prompting the first taste of full winter.
Temperatures plunge as cold air spills across the peninsula
Meteorologists expect a widespread drop in temperatures from Monday, with the chill biting hardest overnight. Frost is likely in the interior, particularly across Castilla y León, Aragón, and the higher plains of the Meseta. Daytime values will struggle to climb out of single digits in many places, hovering between 5°C and 10°C.
In cities such as Vitoria, Burgos and Soria, sub-zero mornings look increasingly likely. Even Madrid, which often avoids the first frosts until later in the season, could wake to icy pavements before the week is out.
Early season snow for the mountains
The incoming air mass is cold enough to bring snowfall to large sections of northern Spain. The Pyrenees and the Sistema Central are expected to turn white, marking the earliest widespread winter episode of the season. Ski resorts—still preparing for their official openings—may see fresh layers settle on high slopes.
A dramatic shift from Saharan heat
What makes this cold spell stand out is how sudden it feels. Only recently, Spain was grappling with Saharan air that pushed temperatures higher than usual and fuelled heavy, moisture-laden storms. The swing from southern heat to polar air underscores the volatility of Spain’s autumn climate—a season increasingly marked by extreme contrasts.
Regions feel the cold differently
Galicia and the Basque Country sit on the leading edge of the Arctic surge and will cool the fastest. A sudden drop in temperatures is expected from the start of the week, paired with lingering instability. Coastal areas may still see hail and strong winds, particularly in A Coruña and Pontevedra.
Further south, Andalucia escapes the worst of the cold but not the lingering dampness left by Claudia. Nights will turn noticeably crisper, though without the intensity forecast in the north.
AEMET issues widespread warnings
AEMET has flagged the incoming weather as “unusually cold for November” and issued a spread of warnings to reflect the changing risks.
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Northwest Spain: alerts for heavy rain, hail and storms in parts of Galicia.
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Sistema Central (Castilla y León, Madrid, Extremadura): orange warnings as heavy rain looks set to shift to snowfall at altitude.
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Basque Country: risk of freezing temperatures and early-morning ice from Tuesday.
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Interior regions: frost advisories for high plains and mountain valleys.
Drivers are being urged to prepare for winter conditions, particularly on secondary roads and mountain passes where temperatures will fall sharply at night.
A cold week ahead
Spain enters the new week with a wintery landscape taking shape earlier than usual. With more cold nights on the horizon and further snowfall possible in northern mountains, this marks the clearest sign yet that the season has turned decisively. All eyes now turn to how long the Arctic air lingers—and whether this early chill sets the tone for the winter ahead.
Source: 20 Minutos