Madrid is currently facing one of the harshest episodes of winter. Storm Harry has frozen much of the region, with sub-zero temperatures on the plateau, widespread frost and snow looming on the horizon. The AEMET has activated a yellow warning for snowfall in the Sierra de Madrid and does not rule out the possibility that, if the drop in temperature is confirmed in the coming hours,some snowflakes may appear at medium altitudes and even on the outskirts of the capital.
The warning from the State Meteorological Agency mainly affects the high areas of the Community, where accumulations of up to 5 centimeters of snow are expected above 1,200-1,300 meters, especially in the areas around Navacerrada, Cotos, Peñalara, and Somosierra. The snow level will initially be around 1,300 meters, but models suggest that it could drop to around 1,000 meters as the week progresses and a new cold front arrives after Harry.
The emergency services insist on the need to exercise extreme caution when traveling to the mountains, where you should carry chains or winter tires, a full fuel tank, warm clothing, some food, and a charged cell phone, given the possibility of traffic jams or occasional closures due to snow and ice. The recommendation is to check road conditions before setting out and not to be fooled by the apparent calm in the city, as conditions change quickly in the mountains.
Sub-zero mornings in the capital
Editorial credit: Gonzalo Polonio Perez | shutterstock.com
In the city of Madrid, the snow is holding off for now, but the cold is the absolute protagonist: the minimum temperatures these days are between 0 and 2 °C, with a lower wind chill factor, and it cannot be ruled out that in some neighborhoods and municipalities in the metropolitan area they will drop below 0 °C again in the early mornings. The weather forecast for January predicts a “very cold” month, with average temperatures of 3-11 °C, but the start of 2026 is proving particularly harsh, with a string of frosts, morning fog, and days with highs barely reaching 7-8 °C.
Across Spain, Harry has brought heavy rain, wind, and snow, especially in the north and in mountainous areas in the center and south, while the AEMET is already looking ahead to the next storm, Ingrid, which could maintain the winter weather and snowfall in the northern half of the country towards the weekend. For Madrid, this means that the white landscape will continue to linger nearby (in the mountains) and that, although rain and cold weather are still likely in the central area, the possibility of isolated snowflakes in the higher neighborhoods or northern municipalities cannot be completely ruled out if the snow line ends up falling below 800-1,000 meters.