Andorra Issues Yellow Alert for Heavy Snowfall and Avalanches
Intense snowfall expected above 1,500m from Saturday to Sunday, with up to 45cm accumulations at high altitudes and level 4 avalanche risk above.
Key Points
- Yellow alert active 3am Sat to 3am Sun; accumulations up to 45cm at 2,500m, 25cm at 2,000m, 12cm at 1,500m.
- Avalanche risk level 4/5 above 2,100m due to fresh snow and winds.
- Precipitation from Atlantic front until Monday; snow level ~1,500m.
- Civil Protection urges caution on roads; streets pre-salted in Andorra la Vella.
Andorra's meteorological service has activated a yellow alert for intense snowfall above 1,500 metres from 3am Saturday until 3am Sunday, with snow expected to intensify during the afternoon at mid- and high-altitude areas. Accumulations could reach 45cm at 2,500m, 25cm at 2,000m, and 12cm at 1,500m by Tuesday according to some models, while others forecast lower totals of 15cm, 10cm, and 5cm at those levels respectively.
Precipitation started Friday morning and is set to continue until Monday, driven by an Atlantic front with southerly winds, followed by further episodes linked to southerly and easterly flows through Tuesday. The snow level began at 1,200-1,400m on Friday, stabilising around 1,500m over the weekend. Early Friday measurements showed 15cm at 2,500m, 10cm at 2,000m, and 5cm at 1,500m, with light flurries reaching Andorra la Vella before the snow line rose.
A nationwide yellow alert also covers moderate avalanche risk, rising to level 4 out of 5 above 2,100m—especially in the eastern sector—due to fresh snow, strong summit winds, and unstable snowpack. Gusts are expected to persist into the night.
Authorities warn of freezing rain risks in central valleys from Saturday morning amid thermal inversions, though minimum temperatures remained milder than last week: -1.7°C at Borda Vidal, -1.3°C at FEDA, -0.8°C at Margineda, around -2°C to -3°C in Andorra la Vella, and -6°C at Pas de la Casa. Andorra la Vella crews pre-salted streets and sidewalks Friday morning, including the Rotonda area, to avoid slips after last week's incidents. Protocols reached all communes, Civil Protection, and other agencies. Civil Protection advises extra caution on mountain roads and early-morning travel in frost-prone areas, urging travellers to monitor updates closely.
Weekend highs are forecast at 4-6°C in Andorra la Vella, 3°C at 1,500m, and -3°C at Pas de la Casa, with the 0°C isotherm around 1,700-1,800m midday before dropping to 1,400m overnight. Temperatures will rise slightly over the weekend compared to Friday, the week's coldest day. Catalonia has issued a matching yellow alert for its western Pyrenees.
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources:
- Diari d'Andorra•
Risc d’allau 4 per sobre dels 2.100 metres
- Diari d'Andorra•
Avís groc per neu a partir dels 1.500 metres i perill fort d’allaus
- El Periòdic•
El Servei Meteorològic Nacional preveu un cap de setmana de pluges i neu a partir dels 1.500 metres
- Diari d'Andorra•
Avís groc activat per nevades intenses a partir dels 1.500 metres fins demà
- El Periòdic•
El Servei Meteorològic activa l’avís groc per neu a partir de 1.500 metres davant un dissabte amb nevades intenses
- Diari d'Andorra•
Avís groc per nevades intenses a partir dels 1.500 metres demà
- Altaveu•
Carrers salats a les portes d'un cap de setmana de pluja i neu
- Altaveu•
El Servei Meteorològic alerta de risc de pluja gelant els pròxims dies
- Diari d'Andorra•
Nevades destacades al Pirineu i a Andorra: fins a 50 centímetres entre divendres i dimarts