Barcelona records the coldest Epiphany morning since 1985 at Observatori Fabra

Observatori Fabra recorded -0.6 ºC this 6 January. It has not been this cold on Three Kings' Day since 1985. Central Barcelona has come close to 2 ºC. The phenomenon breaks a run of almost three years without frosts. Discover the historical data and the most affected neighbourhoods.

6 January 2026 has surprised Barcelona with an unusual cold spell for the Three Kings' Day holiday. Observatori Fabra recorded a minimum temperature of -0.6 ºC, a value not reached on this date since 1985. This episode breaks a run of almost three years without the thermometer falling below zero at this emblematic point in the city.

According to the historical data, only five Three Kings' Days have been colder in the 112 years of records at Observatori Fabra, all of them in the 20th century. The absolute record remains 6 January 1985, when -5 ºC was reached and the parade was held under a memorable snowfall.

In the past decade, only 2021 and 2009 saw Three Kings' Day temperatures close to zero, although without exceeding this year's cold. In 2009, moreover, the city was covered by almost 5 cm of snow during the afternoon.

This Tuesday's frost is especially significant because no negative temperature has been recorded at Observatori Fabra since 27 February 2023. In the 112 years of data, there have only been 19 occasions when at least one annual frost did not occur, although the frequency has changed notably in the 21st century. Whereas there were only 12 years without frost in the 20th century, seven have already been recorded so far in the 21st century, twice the frequency.

The cold has been widespread throughout Barcelona. In neighbourhoods such as Sants, Les Corts, Gràcia and Raval, the minimum temperatures have equalled or exceeded those of 27 February 2023. The city centre has come close to 2–3 ºC, figures that are increasingly difficult to see and that meet Meteocat's thresholds for considering a cold spell.

In areas near Besòs, the river's channeling effect has favoured even lower minimum temperatures on recent dates. If temperatures hold for two more days, Barcelona could face an official cold spell. However, the forecasts point to a rise in temperature from Thursday.