Weather alerts and emergency information
You will understand warning colours, ES-Alert, trusted sources and 112, even if your Spanish is limited.
Spain has one warning system for dangerous weather, and every other hazard depends on it. This topic shows you how to read the warnings, where to find reliable information and how to reach help, even if your Spanish is limited.
Pick the article that fits your situation
AEMET weather warnings: what green, yellow, orange and red mean
Explains the four AEMET warning colours, what each means for your safety, and what to do at each level. For anyone living in or visiting Spain who sees a weather warning and needs to know whether to act.
Where to get reliable weather and hazard information in Spain
Which official sources to trust for weather, flood and road information in Spain, and which channels to ignore when a storm or flood moves fast. For anyone living in or travelling through Spain.
Calling 112 in a weather emergency, including in English
How to use 112 in a weather emergency anywhere in Spain: when to call, what to say, how to give your location, which language to expect and which other numbers to use instead. For residents and visitors.
What closes during a red alert: schools, work, trains and roads
What to expect from schools, employers, trains and roads when Spain issues a red weather alert, and where to check each one. It is for anyone living in Spain who must plan a day around severe weather.
About this topic
It is for anyone thinking about moving to Spain, planning a move or already settling in. You will learn what the warning colours mean, how ES-Alert phone messages work, which sources to trust, when and how to call 112, and what usually closes during an alert. You will also find the key weather emergency words in Spanish.
Start with "AEMET weather warnings: what green, yellow, orange and red mean". Every other page builds on those colours. After that, read "Where to get reliable weather and hazard information in Spain", then "Calling 112 in a weather emergency, including in English", and finally "What closes during a red alert: schools, work, trains and roads".
Planning your household's emergency kit, making insurance claims and what to do in a specific hazard such as a flood or fire are covered elsewhere.
Key rules
- Calling 112: Calls to 112 are free, work 24 hours a day, and work even without credit or a SIM card.
- ES-Alert: ES-Alert reaches compatible phones in the affected area, including foreign SIMs and tourists' phones, without installing an app.
- Colours: Warnings use four colours: green, yellow, orange and red.
- Your zone: The colour depends on thresholds for your zone, so the same weather can be a different colour elsewhere.
- Official sources: In a fast event, rely only on AEMET, regional services, river-basin authorities, Protección Civil, the DGT and 112.
Weather alerts and emergency information: questions that cross several articles
Should I call 112 when my zone is under an orange or red warning?
No, a warning alone is not a reason to call 112; call only if there is an immediate risk to life, health or property. For forecasts and warning details, use AEMET or the DGT (traffic, 011).
How do I check the warning for my own town and get notified?
Open the warnings section on the AEMET website and pick your province or zone, or search your municipality. The free AEMET app lets you save places and turn on notifications for warnings. "Where to get reliable weather and hazard information in Spain" covers other trustworthy sources, and the colour guide article explains what each level means.
Will 112 understand me in English, and how will they find me?
Most regional 112 centres can handle English, but coverage differs by region and time of day, and Spanish is always available. Smartphones send an approximate location automatically, so still say your municipality, road and kilometre point, or landmarks aloud. "Calling 112 in a weather emergency, including in English" has the full steps.
What should I do during a red warning if I am not in danger?
Take extreme precautions, follow the authorities' instructions strictly, and avoid travel and exposed activities. Each hazard has its own advice too, such as staying away from river beds and underpasses in floods. Read "What closes during a red alert: schools, work, trains and roads" for what to expect from employers and transport.
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Need certainty before you act?
For important relocation decisions, speak with a qualified human specialist.
Always verify important information with the relevant official authority or a qualified adviser before acting. This website uses large language models together with various public data sources, official government documents and other established sources. Due to the amount of data on this website, some information might be wrong. Information may also be incomplete or outdated.