Borrasca Francis Brings Heavy Rain, Snow, and Frost to Spain Starting New Year's Day
The winter storm Borrasca Francis will impact Spain starting January 1, 2026, with heavy rains, snow, and frost across multiple regions.
- • Borrasca Francis begins impacting Spain on January 1, 2026, starting with the Canary Islands.
- • Heavy rain and significant snowfall expected in mountainous regions like Sierra de Gredos, Sierra de Segura, and Sierra Nevada.
- • Widespread frost and potential strong frosts across half of Spain following New Year's Eve.
- • The storm will bring unstable weather with strong winds, especially in the Canary Islands and western coastal areas.
Key details
Spain will experience significant weather disruptions starting January 1, 2026, as the winter storm Borrasca Francis moves in from the North Atlantic. After a high-pressure system stabilizes conditions and leads to dense fog and frosts across much of the Iberian Peninsula on New Year's Eve, the storm will bring heavy rains, strong winds, and snow in various regions over the following days.
The Canary Islands will face intense rainfall and storms on New Year's Day, especially on the western islands. As the storm progresses to mainland Spain, western areas including Galicia, Castilla, and Extremadura will see increasing rainfall. Snow is expected in mountainous regions such as Sierra de Gredos and, by January 2, heavy rain will affect provinces like Huelva and Cádiz alongside more snow in mountainous locales.
From January 3, the storm will shift near southern Portugal, delivering abundant rains over southwestern Spain and potential snow in northern areas. The southeastern regions, including the Sierra de Segura and Sierra Nevada, are forecasted to see significant snowfall and heavy precipitation. Temperatures will drop considerably, leading to widespread frost across half the country, with possible strong frosts especially from January 4 onward as cold air masses settle in. Snowfall at low elevations is likely from January 4, although forecasts suggest moderate chances on January 5 and 6.
Despite some rises in temperature following New Year's Day, the atmosphere will remain unstable, and adverse weather conditions are expected to persist throughout the first week of January. Winds will be notably strong in the Canary Islands and along the western coast of Galicia.
Overall, Borrasca Francis is set to disrupt stable New Year's weather, bringing a mix of rain, snow, frost, and wind across much of Spain, emphasizing the need for public caution during this period.
This article was translated and synthesized from Spanish sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
Source articles (3)
Source comparison
Timing of storm impact
Sources disagree on when Borrasca Francis will start affecting the mainland.
tiempo.com
"The storm will impact mainland Spain starting January 2."
elmundo.es
"The storm will start affecting the western peninsula on January 1."
Why this matters: Source 1 states the storm will impact the mainland starting January 2, while Source 2 indicates it will begin affecting the western peninsula on January 1. This discrepancy affects the understanding of when the storm's effects will be felt across Spain.
Snowfall expectations
Sources differ on the timing and likelihood of snowfall due to Borrasca Francis.
tiempo.com
"Snowfall is expected in the Sierra de Gredos starting January 2."
elmundo.es
"A cold air mass could result in snowfall at very low altitudes starting January 4."
Why this matters: Source 1 suggests significant snowfall will occur in mountainous areas starting January 2, while Source 2 mentions potential snowfall at very low altitudes starting January 4. This affects how readers understand the storm's impact on snowfall across different regions.