Andorra Rivers Surge from Heavy Winter Snowmelt, Exceeding Norms
Heavy winter snow accumulations are fueling elevated river levels across Andorra. Flows hit 17 cubic metres per second in April despite low rainfall, with ample mountain snow pointing to even higher May peaks.
Key Points
- Snowmelt drives April 2026 river flows at Borda de Sabater to 17 m³/s, 7 m³/s above decade average.
- Flows up from 12 m³/s in April 2025, despite below-average 60.2 mm rainfall.
- May averages 18 m³/s historically; substantial snow reserves suggest potential exceedance.
- Average snow depth 1.97 metres reported on 30 April 2026.
Snowmelt from this winter's heavy accumulations is driving river flows in Andorra well above recent norms. Measurements at the Borda de Sabater station reached 17 cubic metres per second during April 2026, exceeding the decade-long average for the month by around 7 cubic metres per second.
The figure marks a clear rise from April 2025, when flows at the same site stood at 12 cubic metres per second. This increase comes despite below-average rainfall this April. The Estació Central de FEDA recorded 60.2 millimetres of precipitation, slightly less than the 62.6 millimetres in 2025 and far below the 91.7 millimetres seen in 2024.
May typically brings the highest river levels due to seasonal snowmelt. Between 2016 and 2025, the average flow at Borda de Sabater during the month was 18 cubic metres per second. With substantial snow reserves remaining in the mountains, current data suggest May 2026 could surpass that benchmark.
The Principat d'Andorra's monthly water resource bulletin, as of 30 April, reported an average snow depth of 1.97 metres across mountain areas, supporting expectations of sustained high flows in coming weeks.
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