Where to get reliable weather and hazard information in Spain

Terms used

• AEMET — AEMET is Spain's national weather agency, which issues weather warnings and forecasts.
• ES-Alert — ES-Alert is the official emergency message system that sends alerts to all phones in an affected area.
• Protección Civil — Protección Civil is Spain's civil-protection service, which publishes warnings and coordinates responses to disasters.
• DGT — The DGT is Spain's national traffic authority, which publishes road status and closures.
• Confederación hidrográfica — A confederación hidrográfica is a river-basin authority that publishes river and reservoir data.

Key rules

• Official sources: In a fast event, rely only on AEMET, regional services, river-basin authorities, Protección Civil, the DGT and 112.
• ES-Alert: Messages that arrive on your phone as ES-Alert are official, so follow them.
• Rumours: Do not trust or forward unsigned videos, undated screenshots or forwarded chat messages.
• Emergencies: Call 112 when you need help, not social media.

Rely on official sources only

During a fast event, trust AEMET, your region's weather and emergency services, the river-basin authorities, Protección Civil and the DGT. Ignore everything else, including forwarded videos, screenshots and group-chat warnings. ES-Alert messages on your phone are official, so follow their instructions.

Weather warnings: AEMET and regional services

AEMET is Spain's national weather agency. It publishes warnings by zone, with a colour, the type of weather and the timing. It also publishes forecasts for your municipality, radar and satellite images, and special notices about dangerous weather. Use its website or its app.

Some regions also run their own weather service. Catalonia has Meteocat, the Basque Country has Euskalmet, Galicia has MeteoGalicia, and Navarra has its own service. Other regions publish forecasts through regional agencies. Save the service for your region next to AEMET.

Emergencies: Protección Civil and 112

Protección Civil publishes warnings and advice on its website and social media. In severe cases it sends ES-Alert messages to phones in the affected area. Almost every region also has a 112 emergency service and a civil-protection body. The websites differ, so search your region's name with 112, or follow the links on your regional government's site.

If you need help, call 112. Do not ask for help on social media.

Rivers and reservoirs

Each river-basin authority (confederación hidrográfica, such as Ebro, Júcar, Segura, Guadalquivir or Tajo) publishes live data on river levels, flow and reservoir capacity. Many rivers show alert thresholds. If you live near a river or ramblas, check this data during heavy rain, together with the AEMET warning. Some regions with their own basins, such as Catalonia, have their own bodies.

Roads: DGT

The DGT publishes live road status, closures, incidents and chain or tyre requirements. You can find them on its website, its app, on road signs and by phone on 011. Catalonia and the Basque Country run their own traffic services, so use those there. In orange and red warnings, avoid travel and follow instructions.

Spotting rumours

• Check that a social media account is verified and linked from the official website of the body.
• Check the date and place of any photo or video.
• Do not forward anything you cannot verify.

The phone setup steps and the checklist below cover the rest.

Set up your phone for Spanish emergency alerts

• Update your phone's software and use a 4G or 5G connection: before you start

• On Android, open Settings, then Notifications (or Safety and emergency), then Wireless emergency alerts, and switch on every alert type, including extreme and severe threats and the public safety option. Leave sound and vibration on: in the first few minutes of setup, before your first emergency

• Check that location services are on for your area, because some Android models need them for alerts: right after switching on alerts

• Install the free official AEMET app, choose your municipality or warning zone, pick the lowest warning colour you want to hear about, and allow notifications in your phone's system settings: on the day you arrive or as soon as you have a data connection

• Look for the 112 app or alert service of your region, such as 112 Madrid, 112 Andalucía or 112 Catalunya, and install it. It works only in its own region and can send your location in an emergency: when you settle in a region, and again if you move to another one

• Save 112 as a contact in your phone: before your first emergency

• Check your alert history in the emergency alerts menu if your phone has one, and follow the regional 112, Protección Civil, AEMET, radio and TV channels for repeats: if you think you missed an alert, such as when your phone was off, in airplane mode or had no signal

• Recheck your alert settings and watch for announced regional tests. You cannot trigger a test of your own: after each phone update and when a regional test is announced

Checklist

• Check whether your region has its own weather service, such as Meteocat, Euskalmet or MeteoGalicia, and save its website.

• Check that a social media account is verified and linked from the official website of AEMET, Protección Civil, the DGT or your regional emergency service before you trust it.

• Ignore forwarded WhatsApp messages, unsigned videos and undated screenshots during a fast-moving event, and do not forward them.

• Call 112 instead of using social media when you need help.

Check the current regional service names and websites with your regional government.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I see river levels during heavy rain in Spain?

You can see live river levels on the website of the river-basin authority (confederación hidrográfica) for your area. Each one publishes real-time river level in metres, flow in m³/s and reservoir fill as a percentage of capacity, often with alert thresholds.

Does the DGT publish road information in every region?

No, Catalonia and the Basque Country publish their own road information instead of the DGT. In Catalonia use the Servei Català de Trànsit, and in the Basque Country use Tráfico Euskadi. Everywhere else the DGT app, its website and the 011 phone line show closures, incidents and chain or tyre requirements.

Does every region have its own weather service?

No, only some regions have their own weather service, such as Meteocat in Catalonia, Euskalmet in the Basque Country and MeteoGalicia in Galicia. Navarra also has its own. Elsewhere, search your region's name with 112 or follow the regional government's links to find its emergency service.

Is a forwarded WhatsApp video about a storm reliable?

No, treat forwarded videos and screenshots with no date or source as unreliable. Check the date and place of the image, and do not forward it. If you need help, call 112 rather than posting on social media.