Strong winds and named storms in Spain

Key rules

• Check your zone: Wind warnings are issued by zone, so look up the warning for the area where you live or travel.
• Named storms: A storm name adds no extra warning level; read the colour.
• Thresholds: Gust thresholds for each colour differ by zone, so there is no national figure.
• Red or orange: Treat orange and red as real danger and stay indoors away from windows.

How wind warnings work

Wind hazards in Spain are regional, so what matters is the warning for your zone. AEMET, the national weather service, issues colour warnings by zone for each type of weather, wind included. They cover the next 24 to 72 hours.

Weather warnings use four colours: green, yellow, orange and red, and named storms use the same colours.

• Green: no risk.
• Yellow: no special danger for most people, but risk for specific activities or exposed people. Take it seriously if you cycle, drive a van, sail or work outdoors.
• Orange: significant danger. Be careful and follow the forecasts.
• Red: extreme danger from exceptional weather.

Wind warnings are based on maximum gusts. The thresholds differ by zone, higher on exposed coasts and mountains and lower inland, so there is no single national figure. Check the thresholds for your zone with AEMET. Warnings also show a probability and a description of the impact. Warnings for waves and wind at sea use a separate scale.

Named storms

A named storm does not get its own warning level. It gets the same colours as any other storm. Spain, Portugal and France share a naming list for the southwest group of storms. A storm is named when it is expected to bring orange or red warnings in at least one of those countries. The alphabetical list starts again each September. The name only makes the storm easier to talk about, so judge the risk by the colour for your zone.

Local winds you may meet

Each of these is strong in its own area and season:

• Tramontana: a cold, dry north wind in Girona's Empordà area and the Balearics, mostly from autumn to spring, with strong gusts.
• Cierzo: a gusty, drying northwest wind in the Ebro valley (Aragón, Navarra, La Rioja), strongest in winter and spring.
• Levante: an east wind around the Strait of Gibraltar (Cádiz, Tarifa), and also Murcia and Almería. It often brings humidity and rough seas.
• Poniente: a west wind in Cádiz and Málaga, and also Valencia. In summer it is hot and dry.
• Terral: a hot land wind in Málaga.
• Mistral: a north wind that affects the Balearics.
• Galerna: a sudden squall on the Cantabrian coast in spring and summer.

These winds can fuel fires, damage crops, make the sea dangerous, and disrupt ferries, flights and high-sided vehicles.

What to do

Before the wind: take in or tie down pots, awnings and furniture, close windows and shutters, check roofs and loose structures, and avoid parking under trees.

During it: stay indoors away from windows. Avoid the coast, parks, forests, scaffolding and cranes, and keep away from fallen power lines. Avoid driving if you can. If you must, slow down on exposed roads. Follow instructions from 112, Protección Civil and local authorities. Do not go to the coast to watch waves.

The decision, checklist and warnings below help you act on a warning in your zone.

Choosing between options

How should you react to a wind warning in your zone?

• Carry on with care: The warning is yellow: your day is mostly normal, but avoid exposed activities such as hiking, boating or working at height.

• Prepare and limit travel: The warning is orange: secure your outdoor items, avoid unnecessary trips and follow the forecasts.

• Stay indoors: The warning is red: stay home away from windows, avoid driving and follow 112 and Protección Civil.

The colour for your zone decides. Wind levels are set on maximum gusts and differ by zone, with higher thresholds in exposed coastal and mountain areas than inland, so there is no single national speed.

Thresholds differ by zone and change over time, so confirm your zone's levels with AEMET.

Checklist

• Look up the AEMET warning for your zone, since wind hazards are regional and warnings are issued by zone for the next 24 to 72 hours.

• Check which colour applies to wind: green, yellow, orange or red.

• Find out whether a local wind such as tramontana, cierzo or levante affects your area, and in which season.

• Take in or tie down pots, awnings and furniture on balconies, terraces and gardens.

• Park away from trees.

What to watch out for

• Treating yellow as harmless: Yellow means no special danger for most people, but there is risk for exposed people and activities such as work outdoors or at sea. Postpone outdoor activities and watch forecasts if you are exposed.

• Ignoring orange or red: Orange means significant danger and red means extreme danger from exceptional phenomena. Falling objects and branches can injure you.

• Going to the coast to watch waves: Strong wind brings dangerous seas, and people are swept off promenades and rocks.

• Driving in strong wind: Gusts can push vehicles, especially high-sided ones, off exposed roads. Avoid driving if you can.

Other hazards: quick answers

Do tornadoes happen in Spain?

Yes, tornadoes happen in Spain every year, but most are weak to moderate. They are reported most often along the Mediterranean coast, in the Balearic Islands, Catalonia, the Valencia region, the Gulf of Cádiz coast and the Ebro valley, usually in autumn. Waterspouts (tornadoes over water) are common offshore.

Can a hurricane hit mainland Spain?

No, hurricanes do not hit mainland Spain, because tropical storms normally weaken before they arrive. Their remnants can still bring heavy rain and strong wind, and warnings are issued when that happens. Rare hurricane-like storms called medicanes can form over the Mediterranean.

How many earthquakes do people feel in Spain each year?

People feel around 50 to 100 earthquakes a year in Spain, mostly between magnitude 3 and 4.5. Several thousand are recorded, but most are too small to notice. Quakes above magnitude 5 are rare, come every few years, and often happen offshore.

Is there any volcano risk on mainland Spain?

No, mainland Spain has no active volcanoes and no significant eruption risk. Areas such as Garrotxa in Girona, Cabo de Gata in Almería and the Columbretes Islands are dormant or extinct. Volcanic risk in Spain is mainly in the Canary Islands.