‘Gota fría’ weather system in the offing
Snow forecast for mountainous areas of north Alicante
A CUT-off low weather system – known as a ‘gota fría’ – is set to affect south-east Spain from Sunday.
According to Alicante university climatology lab it could be ‘pretty potent’. They noted that the ‘fall in temperatures is assured’ but ‘there is still great uncertainty’ over how much precipitation will accompany the weather system.
They reported that high winds will start to hit the area from Sunday, along with heavy seas with waves measuring more than four metres, ‘which could be one of the worst sea storms of recent years’.
State weather agency AEMET noted yesterday (Thursday) that a mass of cold air is advancing towards the interior of Europe, which will then separate off and move down to the Iberian Peninsula.
The fall in temperatures is due to affect Alicante province from tomorrow (Saturday).
AEMET is predicting a high of 19°C for Torrevieja today (Friday) and 14°C on Saturday.
In Benidorm on the same days the highs are set to be 18°C and 14°C, while in Confrides in the Guadalest Valley they will be 14°C and 9°C, with a low of -3°C on Sunday night/Monday morning.
According to AEMET, heavy rain could affect the province from Sunday evening, with the threat of downpours continuing until Wednesday.
Snow could fall above 800 metres on Sunday night which means that large swathes of the north of the province could be affected.
For an in-depth analysis of the cut-off low weather phenomenon by state weather agency AEMET turn to page 4 of the Costa Living supplement.