Severe Snow and Rain Paralyze Roads Across Multiple Spanish Provinces on January 17, 2026
Heavy snow and rain on January 17, 2026, have forced numerous road closures and emergency responses across Spain, with Ávila, Segovia, and Tarragona among the worst affected.
- • Over 50 roads closed across eight provinces due to snow and rain.
- • Significant snowfall in Ávila and Segovia complicates travel and leads to event cancellations.
- • 633 snowplows and more than 116,000 tons of salt deployed to maintain roads.
- • Heavy rainfall in Tarragona with flood and avalanche alerts activated.
- • Seventeen provinces under weather warnings including orange alerts in Aragón, Castilla y León, and Galicia.
Key details
On January 17, 2026, Spain is grappling with extensive severe weather conditions that have caused significant disruptions across multiple provinces. Heavy snow and plummeting temperatures have led to the closure of over fifty roads in eight provinces, while heavy rainfall has raised flood and avalanche risks in others.
Provinces like Ávila and Segovia are among the hardest hit by snowfall, with about 10 centimeters blanketing Segovia and approximately 5 centimeters recorded in Ávila. These accumulations have complicated travel, halted the Provincial School Games in Ávila for safety reasons, and prompted local authorities to deploy teams to clear roads. Truck traffic is banned on the A-1 in Madrid and Segovia, and the A-50 in Ávila remains closed due to hazardous conditions. Castilla y León and Aragón are under orange weather alerts for snow, with Galicia facing maritime storm warnings.
To combat the deteriorating conditions, the Ministry of Transport has mobilized a formidable fleet of 633 snowplows and spread over 116,000 tons of salt across affected regions, including Aragón and Castilla y León. Restrictions such as mandatory chains on certain roads and reduced speed limits are in place to safeguard travelers amid widespread road closures.
Meanwhile, the storm known as Harry has unleashed heavy rains in the Tarragona area, where precipitation reached up to 66 liters per square meter. This has led to flood alerts, especially in Catalonia, and authorities have activated flood and snow emergency plans. Imma Solé, subdirector of Civil Protection, urged the public to avoid flood-prone areas due to the risk posed by intense rainfall.
Temperature drops are notable across many regions, with Soria experiencing maximum temperatures as low as 3°C. In contrast, warmer conditions persist in Las Palmas and Almería. Overall, seventeen provinces across ten autonomous communities remain on alert due to combinations of snow, rain, and maritime storms.
Authorities continue to monitor conditions and are actively working to ease transportation disruptions. The combination of heavy snowfall, rain, and persistent cold poses ongoing challenges for travel and public safety in Spain today.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
