Madrid faces a freezing weekend with snow in the Sierra

Snow will fall as low as 1,000 metres in the Sierra de Madrid. Civil Protection has activated a yellow alert. Cold and wind will define the weekend. Find out how it will affect the city and region. Prepare for wintry temperatures and abrupt changes.

Madrid is preparing for a weekend marked by intense cold and the arrival of snow at low altitudes. The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) is maintaining its yellow warning for snowfall in the Sierra, where up to 5 centimetres of accumulation are expected in 24 hours and the snow level will fall to 1,000–1,200 metres.

The Madrid Regional Government’s Directorate General of Civil Protection has activated the yellow level, paying particular attention to the Somosierra area due to the forecast of snowfall and possible road complications. The episode will begin on Thursday 15 January at 18:00 and will continue, at least, until midnight, linking up with new fronts that will bring more cold, wind and precipitation over the weekend.

According to AEMET, the weather will change markedly: skies will go from mostly clear to overcast, with increasingly intense showers and a snow level that could locally fall to 1,000 metres in the coldest hours. Minimum temperatures will remain steady in the Sierra, but maximums will drop, causing light frost in higher areas and a fully wintry atmosphere in the region’s interior.

Snow is not forecast for the city of Madrid or the rest of the plateau, but rain, wind and a fall in temperatures will leave highs between 8 and 11 °C and lows close to 3 °C. The south-westerly wind will accentuate the feeling of cold, so it is advisable to wrap up warm if outdoor activities are planned this weekend.