Ahora sí, frío de verdad…

Lo quiero explicar bien, no quiero vender sensacionalismo, mapas y reflexiones de datos reales.

No va a ser una situación extraordinaria, pero tampoco se da todos los años, además de que por lo menos hasta final de mes el ambiente frío está garantizado.

La península es extraordinaria a nivel meteorológico, así que hablar de situaciones globales es casi utópico, cada cuadrante de procedencia de masas de aire influye diferente en esta tierra de orografía compleja.

Para los próximos días hablamos de una entrada de aire continental, que parece que no se acaba de cortar con un anticiclón en las Azores, que se alarga hasta las islas británicas. Borrasca en el Mediterráneo que impulsa el aire de CentroEuropa, sería mucho más fría si el aire llegará de Siberia, con tantos días no es imposible que sucediera.

Pero este tipo de situaciones son las más frías para el Noreste, Galicia, Portugal y Suroeste no es su cuadrante más frío.

Las famosas entradas polares de Noroeste, son más efectivas en dichas zonas, las polares árticas de Norte lo son para Pirineos y saltan muchas veces la cordillera cantábrica hasta el sistema central. En Catalunya, los Pirineos hacen de barrera, siendo más efectivas de Nordeste, aunque generalmente secas, el mar Mediterráneo a veces genera precipitaciones si coincide aire frío y un poco de Levante.

Por experiencia estas situaciones que se alargan en el tiempo me hacen sufrir por ver nieve en la puerta de casa, pero las probabilidades aumentan al ser tantos días.

El pasado Enero con Anticiclón las mínimas fueron muy bajas todo el mes, pero las máximas más altas. Fuera de zonas de valle con la inversión térmica de protagonista el ambiente fue suave. Este frío para días en todas las capas ayuda acabar con plagas, es un proceso necesario.

Para mi este es el verdadero frío, aunque hasta que no se calme el viento las mínimas no tocan fondo en los valles. Hoy mismo una Máxima con sol de 6,8° en Centelles, no es tan habitual, la mínima de -0,9° por el viento si que es bastante normal. La media del día es de 2° por debajo de la media de 1985-2014.

Después de tanta información, ahora la previsión más visual con mapas.

La borrasca en el Mediterraneo
Anomalia térmica a 850hp
Para ver el aire frío a 850hp
Frío hasta el final de Enero según mapas actuales
A 500 hp también mucho frío
El viento también es protagonista, mañana otra vez intenso en el Valle del Ebro
Con el mapa peninsular para ver mejor la incidencia del aire frío
Mapa de acumulación de precipitaciones durante los próximos días…
Meteograma de Madrid, temperaturas bajas y seco después de las últimas precipitaciones de las próximas horas
Sin precipitaciones, pero frío garantizado, a por buenas heladas

Discover new places

The last weekend I was in Castello, a region that I didn’t visit, just the coast and by the highway. Very interesting place and a great discover for me.

Just enjoy the river from inside

Montanejos is a termal village. The temperature of the river is warmer than should be, it makes very comfortable to swim inside the river. I did more than 200 meters up to the river in the canyon.

During this weekend I also enjoy the largest green track of Spain. It was an old train from the port to the minery area, now a paradise to go with bike. Tunnels and trees around, remember the past of the track. The new track sometimes is very close and is posible to see the train.

The new from the old one
Tunnel with light and water inside

The landscape is nice with mountains and lot of trees.

The bridge cross a dry river, quite normal in this region of irregular rain

Mediterranean rivers are very dangerous, from nothing to a floats. The dry rivers are the most dangerous, because there aren’t trees to stop the water.

Olive oil, wine are the typical products of theses area, also good almond. Most dry cultive, even is water in the area, the temperatures are more extreme than in the coast. Orange, lemon prefer areas were freezing temperatures are inusual, not inland where every winter is below zero at nights.

Mediterranean landscape inland. Almond, olive and wine
Also jump in the river is posible

Come back to the nature

After the look down of the cities, maybe lot of people want to leave it.

It’s a good opportunity to have a better of distribution of the population.

Until now people live in the city for the services. Now without shop, online shopping is getting more popular, without pubs, restaurants, theaters, cinemas… The parks closed, beach where is forbidden take a bath.

I’m living in a village 10 years ago. I leave the metropolitan are of Barcelona 12 years ago. 1 year without working in the city, only my parents are the connection with the city, for the rest I don’t need.

I love the mountain, my quality of life is walk, run in the forest.

My father lived in this house in Extremadura. Always talks with nostalgic of the birds there.
Now is just another field, with a destroyed house.
The grandfather of my father plant this trees 70 years ago. Eucalyptus was very popular in Spain, even isn’t the best tree.

My parents came to the city looking for a better life, now I think world is going to change. The only thing that you need is a good connection to internet. The services will come back with the people. Spain needs to conserve nice village, but they need people. The new countryside where isn’t necessary work the earth like a profesional.

The forest is increasing every year. The fields in the mountain are now forest, you can see walls in the middle of the forest to show how was the past.

We have better forest around the village than in the past. People work in different activities…
Just a few hours to have like this…
The forest is hidden some parts of the past.
Here one hundred years ago less trees and fields in stairs.

The Iberian mountain

The Iberian mountains, the river Ebro and the Mediterranean coast make the border.

This mountains separate the meseta from the valley of Ebro river and also the coast.

Despite the south part is near to the coast the climate is very different. In this area we find the triangle of the cold. Is the coldest area of Spain, but only at night. Also we find the area near the Mediterranean is the most stormy area of Peninsula.

The view from the last peak in Burgos. Interesting area is easy find fossilized animals in the rocks.
Sad Hill, appears in spaghetti western films where Clint Eastwood was the star.
The rivers form canyons in this area
All this natural region the population is very low, even in some areas the density is the lowest in Europe.

The main cities of this big natural region are Soria, Cuenca and Teruel.

There are some rest of the last glacial time.
Laguna Negra, and Neila are the example.

This mountains have some areas that are like big mesetas with big areas above 1000 meters. The example is the way from Madrid to Barcelona, crossing the area of Alcarria.

The geography is complicate in this mountains. Important rivers born here, as Tajo, Duero Atlantic side, but also mediterranean like the Jucar river.

Good trekking routes, good nature and very quiet area.
Alto Tajo is amazing
Perfect place in summer
The landscape of this mountains
Albarracin is a good place to discover. Nice architecture.

Teruel and Castellón are the last province of this mountains.
Storms are usual in summer, also here the density of population is lower but bigger than in Alto Tajo. The roads improved the last years with a highway of Zaragoza, other to Valencia. This helps to have more visitors in this area.
They have good jam, because is very dry area perfect to cure the jam. There aren’t black pork, but the quality is good.
Castellón area despite is close to the coast is quiet, the most popular place is Morella.

Another day I will talk more, because part of Iberian mountains touch with Catalunya in area call Matarranya where are good places to swim in summer.

Extremadura

My parents are from Extremadura, is very special for me.

Is a region inland very interesting and with big empty places where the landscape of Dehesa. Lot of years the human use this natural landscape, bulls and pigs live there.

The best jams are from this landscape.
Dehesa from the Natural park of Monfrague, perfect place to do bird watching.
Big rivers in Extremadura, Tajo in Caceres and Guadiana in Badajoz

Extremadura is more green than the south meseta, the Atlantic influence arrive to the west and highest mountains of the north above 2000 meters, make than la Vera is very rainy region.

The north of Extremadura is full of rivers. There are lot of swimming pools, perfect for summer time.
Garganta de los Infiernos in the Jerte Valley
Perfect place to swim
There are lot to choose in summer, cold water. Some of the have lot of equipment and shadow to spend a perfect day in the warmest days.

Summer is dry and warm, at night in mountain areas gets colder because is a continental region and the low humidity helps.

The warmest places are in Vegas del Guadiana the lower places of the region.

Talavera la Real the village of my father. The airport is there, was militar but now also passengers flights.
Coria the village of my mother. There is a roman bridge without river. There was a big earthquake in Lisboa than destroy the city, also change the Alagon River.
Caceres at night

There are lot of interesting cities to visit. Merida the capital, Trujillo, Hervás, Guadalupe, Badajoz are some of them.

Alcantara and the roman bridge
Las Hurdes in the North, very popular for a film in the 30’s was the most poor region in Spain.
Hurdes black villages architecture
Jerte cherry on flower. Cherry of Jerte are the best in Europe

Very complete region with lot of kilometers of coast in the big lakes. Low density, good food, kind people. Is still a paradise, you feel the nature, listen the birds.

Car is the best way to visit this region, now the roads are very good an without traffic.
My favorite road is the National that goes from Caceres to Badajoz without passing Merida. The landscape of Dehesa is spectacular. If you have time and you can enter in San Pedro Mountain, go to Aliseda. Places to see animals.

Enjoy this amazing region for me one of the most natural and not too touristic.

The Atlantic Pyrenees

Most of the North face is Atlantic, in south face the Atlantic influence start in the last Aragón valleys, Ansó and Hecho.

Despite the mountains are lower, the forest is amazing. The regular rainfall of this region helps. Atlantic brings lot of clouds is this area, fog is very normal. The number of days of precipitation is high for the iberian standards, more than 150 days in the wettest areas. The highest rainfall of Peninsula are here in Azpilicueta. In Galicia there are also some points with similar rainfall but summer is more dry, even in the south of Spain the Grazalema mountains have very high rainfall but the rain is in 6 months, summer is really dry.

Navarra landscape
Otsagavia with the traditional architecture of the region. Salazar Valley has very good cheese.

The highest mountains of Navarra are in the west, were the main village is Isaba. Is the Belagua Valley the most rocky area of this area of the Pyrenees.

The best forest of the region and for me one of the best in the Pyrenees is the Irati forest. Is a huge forest area, that also cross the border. The used these furniture for made the “ Armada invencible”. Lot of ships to fight against England. Even you can visit some historic buildings inside the huge Irati forest.

One of the main tracks, there are lot of kilometers to walk in the shadow. Is very nice in autumn. Winter is very rainy and snow in the highest points. Summer afternoons fog and clouds with the Atlantic breeze.
Always green
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Kakueta looks a tropical paradise, I haven’t good pictures, I found this in Instagram.
Amazing river, the colour of the water…
Lekumberri there is and old train now a green track to walk or go with bike. This green way arrive to Donosti.

Roncesvalles is the village where the main Sant James way starts. Is a nice area very green.

Also in the north of the region there are rituals and legends about witches. There is a cave to visit in the Batzan valley, not very high mountains but very interesting visit..

Zugarramundi cave
Batzan Valley

Central Pyrenees

From Andorra to Navarra

Today I talk about de Central Pyrenees. In the last chapter I show the mediterranean. The Mediterranean is more stormy in summer. The routes are easier, is posible do lot of distance. In the Mediterranean Pyrenees, there are only lakes in the French area. The Central have lot of lakes, more snow in winter for the Atlantic lows, and just the North and Northwest winds sometimes produces precipitations in the north face, but in the south is warm and dry.

Summer in the Mediterranean Pyrenees
Bulloses in France, the area with more lakes in the Mediterranean Pyrenees

Andorra is the country of the Pyrenees, famous shopping area. 2 big sky resorts, lot of places to discover. The Pyrenees you can cross from the Mediterranean to the Cantabrian by 2 big routes, in the french area is call gr-10, spanish is gr-11. Also is posible do the High route of the Pyrenees, very similar but closer to the peaks. Is posible do from refuge to refuge. All way is hard, you need like 40 days, some areas the distance is not very long, but there are lot of rocks, a little bit technically the central area.

There another famous routes of less distance, like Carros de Foc in the National Park of Aiguestortes and Llac de Sant Maurici, this way is between nine refuges, some people do the skyrunner, just in 24 hours, but the most normal is spend 5-6 days.

Near Pas de la Casa in Andorra. The highest city of the Pyrenees, above 2000 meters. Lot of snow in winter, and fresh normally foggy in summer afternoons, for the Atlantic influence of this valley, the only valley of Andorra in the Atlantic face.
Vall d’Incles the most virgin valley in Andorra
Llesui in the Pallars, in the valley same rainfall that Barcelona. Sometimes with strong North wind the have the Foehn that they call snow eating.

There are 2 national parks in the Spanish side. The Aiguestortes and Sant Maurici lakes is the area with more lakes. In Aragon is the Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park. Both parks are very interesting to visit, and the architecture of the valleys are very interesting, specially the Boi Valley

Taull in winter. The Boi valley is very interesting for the romanic architecture. Also is the main entrance to Aiguestortes national Park.
National Park Aiguestortes

There is only a Valley in the Atlantic side in Spain, there is the Vielha tunnel the most safe route in winter. Val d’Aran have an Atlantic climate, with regular rainfall, lot of snow and clouds in the afternoon summer.

Montgarri should be the most snowy village in Spain, but anybody is living in the all village. Too much snow.
Winter in Vall d’Aran

Neighbor to Vall d’aran and Vall the Boi, there is the highest mountain in the Pyrenees, Aneto (3404 meters above the sea).

Aragón is the area with the highest mountains, also is still posible to sea glaciers, but they are in problems to continue in the next years.

Pineta Valley in the National park of Ordesa and Monte Perdido
Ordesa, the main route of the park.
The famous Cola de Caballo. If you want to continue is a very technical way...
Even is the most popular route of the park, is 18 kilometers in the normal way, nice forest and lot of water.
Some of the waterfalls that you find in Ordesa.

If you continue the trip to the west, the Atlantic influence is high, the mountains are lower but the forest are amazing.

Canfranc is very interesting for the international station, now isn’t posible to go to France. Canfranc is full of interesting things like a laboratory inside a tunnel. If you like places with abandoned infrastructures, Canfranc is perfect.

The blue lakes route

Next day I will continue to the Atlantic Pyrenees, more green with regular rainfall, very foggy and some of the best forest.

Some pictures more of the Central Pyrenees.

Vall Fosca
The main road to Aiguestortes in the record winter of 2013. Taxi is the transport to arribe to the park. But isn’t posible in hard winter days.

The Spanish landscape

The Pyrenees

The pictures show some examples of the spanish landscape. I want to show how in the same country is posible to discover most of the European landscape.

I prefer to talk about Spain with my special view, my focus the climate, mountain, river and all the natural things. Spain is more than sun and beach and big touristic cities.

This is too much information for just one post. Natural regions is how I will write about.

I hope could be interesting to people that want to visit Spain.

I decided to do it in English, because there are less information.

All the pictures will be not profesional, some of them mine, other from friends.

This is a project for 2020.

Follow the blog to learn lot of things about Spain, also if you have any question, maybe I can answer…