ClimavisoCold and snow in Castilla y León, Castilla - La Mancha and elsewhere, 23–24 February 2023
23 February 2023 to 24 February 2023. Updated 26 October 2026.
Over 2 days, 32 of Spain's 182 warning zones had an orange or red warning for cold and snow: 51 zone-days at orange or red, 0 of them red. The day with the most zones at orange or red was 23 February, with 32 zones.
23 February was the day with the most people in zones under an orange or red warning: 3.4 million people live there (INE municipal register, 2025).
How it compares
- It is number 65 of 119 episodes since June 2018 by zone-days at orange or red.
- Among the 4 cold episodes, it is number 2.
- There hadn't been a cold episode this widespread since January 2021.
Day by day
| Day | Red | Orange | Yellow | Orange or red warnings for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 23 February | — | 32 | 28 | snow, cold |
| Fri 24 February | — | 19 | 33 | cold, snow |
Zones with a warning each day, at their highest level that day.
The zones
And 30 more zones with yellow warnings only.
What AEMET's stations measured
The most measured in the zones with an orange or red warning, on their warning days: a 101 km/h gust at Cerler, Cogulla (Pirineo oscense) on 23 February; a low of -12.5 °C at Puerto de San Isidro (Cordillera Cantábrica de León) on 24 February.
| Zone | Strongest gust | Lowest temperature |
|---|---|---|
| Pirineo oscense | 101 km/h Cerler, Cogulla · 23 February | -11.1 °C Astún, la Raca · 24 February |
| Valle de Arán | 93 km/h Cap de Vaquèira · 24 February | -8.6 °C Cap de Vaquèira · 24 February |
| Sistema Central de Segovia | 72 km/h Puerto Alto del León · 23 February | -9.2 °C La Pinilla, Estación de Esquí · 24 February |
| Pirineo de Lleida | 70 km/h Llimiana · 23 February | -11.3 °C Port Ainé · 24 February |
| Sistema Central de Soria | 59 km/h Arcos de Jalón · 23 February | -6.8 °C Liceras · 24 February |
| Meseta de Burgos | 57 km/h Villadiego · 23 February | -3.4 °C Villamayor de los Montes · 24 February |
| Sierra de Madrid | 54 km/h Colmenar Viejo · 23 February | -8.2 °C Somosierra · 24 February |
| Centro y valle de Villaverde | 53 km/h Alto Campoo · 23 February | -6.4 °C Alto Campoo · 24 February |
| Meseta de Valladolid | 52 km/h Fuente el Sol · 23 February | -7.5 °C Valladolid Aeropuerto · 24 February |
| Condado de Treviño * | 47 km/h Labastida · 23 February | -0.5 °C Labastida · 24 February |
| Serranía de Guadalajara | 46 km/h Sigüenza · 23 February | -5.7 °C Sigüenza · 24 February |
| Meseta de Segovia | 45 km/h Cuéllar · 23 February | -7.1 °C Cuéllar · 24 February |
| Llanada alavesa | 44 km/h Lalastra · 24 February | -3.4 °C Agurain/salvatierra, Opakua · 24 February |
| Sistema Central de Ávila | 44 km/h Gotarrendura · 23 February | -11.8 °C Puerto del Pico · 24 February |
| Meseta de Soria | 43 km/h Almazul · 23 February | -5.5 °C Almazul · 24 February |
| Parameras de Molina | 42 km/h El Pedregal · 23 February | -4.6 °C Molina de Aragón · 24 February |
| Centro de Navarra | 39 km/h Olite/erriberri · 23 February | -3.6 °C Navascués/nabaskoze · 24 February |
| Ibérica de Burgos | 39 km/h Palacios de la Sierra · 23 February | -5.1 °C Monterrubio de la Demanda · 24 February |
| Pirineo navarro | 39 km/h Valcarlos/luzaide · 24 February | -2.9 °C Oroz-Betelu/orotz-Betelu · 24 February |
| Cordillera Cantábrica de León | 38 km/h Barrios de Luna, Miñera · 23 February | -12.5 °C Puerto de San Isidro · 24 February |
And 12 more zones with an orange or red warning.
* Zone with no AEMET station: the value is from the nearest one, outside the zone.
For each zone, the highest value its AEMET stations measured on the episode's warning days (the lowest, for the low temperature), with the station and the day. Rain from 07:00 to 07:00 UTC; gust: the day's strongest. It is what the zone's stations measured, not every town, and a measurement, like a warning, is not damage.
How AEMET's warnings unfolded
The orange warning reached 51 zone-days. AEMET issued it ahead of time in 49 of them (median: 25 h) and for the current hour in the other 2: warnings are also raised as things unfold. The first warning of any level for those same days had come a median 23 h earlier.
| Zone | Day | First warning | Orange issued | For · notice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central y Valles Mineros | Thu 23 | Mon 20 Feb, 23:50 orange | Mon 20 Feb, 23:50 | 00:00 · 48 h before |
| Centro y valle de Villaverde | Thu 23 | Mon 20 Feb, 23:50 orange | Mon 20 Feb, 23:50 | 00:00 · 48 h before |
| Valle de Arán | Thu 23 | Mon 20 Feb, 23:50 orange | Mon 20 Feb, 23:50 | 06:00 · 54 h before |
| Pirineo de Lleida | Thu 23 | Mon 20 Feb, 23:50 yellow | Tue 21 Feb, 12:21 | 06:00 · 42 h before |
| Pirineo oscense | Thu 23 | Mon 20 Feb, 23:50 yellow | Tue 21 Feb, 12:21 | 00:00 · 36 h before |
| Centro de Navarra | Thu 23 | Mon 20 Feb, 23:50 yellow | Tue 21 Feb, 23:00 | 00:00 · 25 h before |
| Condado de Treviño | Thu 23 | Mon 20 Feb, 23:50 yellow | Tue 21 Feb, 23:00 | 00:00 · 25 h before |
| Llanada alavesa | Thu 23 | Mon 20 Feb, 23:50 yellow | Tue 21 Feb, 23:00 | 00:00 · 25 h before |
| Meseta de Burgos | Thu 23 | Tue 21 Feb, 11:33 yellow | Tue 21 Feb, 23:00 | 00:00 · 25 h before |
| Meseta de Soria | Thu 23 | Tue 21 Feb, 11:33 yellow | Tue 21 Feb, 23:00 | 00:00 · 25 h before |
| Norte de Burgos | Thu 23 | Tue 21 Feb, 11:33 yellow | Tue 21 Feb, 23:00 | 00:00 · 25 h before |
| Parameras de Molina | Thu 23 | Mon 20 Feb, 23:50 yellow | Tue 21 Feb, 23:00 | 22:00 · 47 h before |
| Cordillera Cantábrica de Burgos | Thu 23 | Mon 20 Feb, 23:50 yellow | Wed 22 Feb, 21:30 | 21:00 · 24 h before |
| Cordillera Cantábrica de León | Thu 23 | Mon 20 Feb, 23:50 yellow | Wed 22 Feb, 21:30 | 21:00 · 24 h before |
| Cordillera Cantábrica de Palencia | Thu 23 | Mon 20 Feb, 23:50 yellow | Wed 22 Feb, 21:30 | 21:00 · 24 h before |
And 36 more zone-days.
The full timeline: 65 changes at orange or red
Mon 20 February
- Central y Valles Mineros: Issues a orange snow warning: Thursday 23, all day. 12 cm of snow in 24 h.
- Centro y valle de Villaverde: Issues a orange snow warning: Thursday 23, all day. 6 cm of snow in 24 h.
- Valle de Arán: Issues a orange snow warning: Thursday 23, 06:00–24:00. 20 cm of snow in 24 h.
Tue 21 February
- Pirineo de Lleida: Raises the snow warning to orange: Thursday 23, 06:00–24:00. 20 cm of snow in 24 h.
- Pirineo oscense: Raises the snow warning to orange: Thursday 23, all day. 20 cm of snow in 24 h.
- Central y Valles Mineros: Lowers the snow warning to yellow: Thursday 23, all day. 2 cm of snow in 24 h.
- Centro de Navarra, Llanada alavesa: Raises the snow warning to orange: Thursday 23, all day. 5 cm of snow in 24 h.
- Condado de Treviño, Norte de Burgos: Raises the snow warning to orange: Thursday 23, 00:00–16:00. 5 cm of snow in 24 h.
- Meseta de Burgos: Raises the snow warning to orange: Thursday 23, 00:00–15:00. 5 cm of snow in 24 h.
- Meseta de Soria: Raises the snow warning to orange: Thursday 23, 00:00–19:00. 5 cm of snow in 24 h.
- Parameras de Molina, Pirineo oscense: Issues a orange cold warning: Thursday 23, 22:00–24:00. Lows of −10 °C.
- Parameras de Molina, Pirineo oscense: Issues a orange cold warning: Friday 24, 00:00–10:00. Lows of −10 °C.
Wed 22 February
- Pirineo de Lleida: Issues a orange snow warning: Friday 24, 00:00–06:00. 20 cm of snow in 24 h.
- Pirineo oscense: Issues a orange snow warning: Friday 24, 00:00–03:00. 20 cm of snow in 24 h.
- Valle de Arán: Issues a orange snow warning: Friday 24, 00:00–04:00. 20 cm of snow in 24 h.
- Cordillera Cantábrica de Burgos, Cordillera Cantábrica de León, Cordillera Cantábrica de Palencia, Ibérica de Burgos, Ibérica de Soria, Sanabria, Sistema Central de Salamanca, Sistema Central de Segovia, Sistema Central de Soria, Sistema Central de Ávila: Raises the cold warning to orange: Thursday 23, 21:00–24:00. Lows of −10 °C.
- Meseta de Palencia, Meseta de Valladolid: Raises the snow warning to orange: Thursday 23, 00:00–14:00. 5 cm of snow in 24 h.
- Ibérica riojana: Raises the cold warning to orange: Thursday 23, 21:00–24:00. Lows of −10 °C.
- Cinco Villas de Zaragoza: Raises the snow warning to orange: Thursday 23, 09:00–24:00. 5 cm of snow in 24 h.
- Pirineo oscense: Brings the orange cold warning forward: now from 21:00 on Thursday 23. Lows of −10 °C.
- Cuenca del Nervión: Raises the snow warning to orange: Thursday 23, all day. 5 cm of snow in 24 h.
- Serranía de Guadalajara: Raises the cold warning to orange: Thursday 23, 22:00–24:00. Lows of −10 °C.
- Cordillera Cantábrica de Burgos, Cordillera Cantábrica de León, Cordillera Cantábrica de Palencia, Ibérica de Burgos, Ibérica de Soria, Ibérica riojana, Sanabria, Serranía de Guadalajara, Sistema Central de Salamanca, Sistema Central de Segovia, Sistema Central de Soria, Sistema Central de Ávila: Raises the cold warning to orange: Friday 24, 00:00–10:00. Lows of −10 °C.
Thu 23 February
- Cantabria del Ebro: Raises the cold warning to orange: Thursday 23, 21:00–24:00. Lows of −10 °C.
- Cantabria del Ebro: Raises the cold warning to orange: Friday 24, 00:00–10:00. Lows of −10 °C.
- Condado de Treviño, Norte de Burgos: Extends the orange snow warning: now until 22:00 on Thursday 23. 5 cm of snow in 24 h.
- Meseta de Burgos, Meseta de Palencia, Meseta de Valladolid: Extends the orange snow warning: now until 21:00 on Thursday 23. 5 cm of snow in 24 h.
- Meseta de Segovia: Raises the snow warning to orange: Thursday 23, 12:00–21:00. 5 cm of snow in 24 h.
- Meseta de Soria: Extends the orange snow warning: now until 24:00 on Thursday 23. 5 cm of snow in 24 h.
- Sierra de Madrid: Raises the cold warning to orange: Thursday 23, 21:00–24:00. Lows of −10 °C.
- Sierra de Madrid: Raises the cold warning to orange: Friday 24, 00:00–10:00. Lows of −10 °C.
- Pirineo navarro: Raises the snow warning to orange: Thursday 23, 13:00–24:00. 20 cm of snow in 24 h.
- Pirineo navarro: Issues a orange snow warning: Friday 24, 00:00–03:00. 20 cm of snow in 24 h.
- Parameras de Molina, Serranía de Guadalajara: Lowers the cold warning to yellow: Thursday 23, 22:00–24:00. Lows of −9 °C.
- Parameras de Molina, Serranía de Guadalajara: Lowers the cold warning to yellow: Friday 24, 00:00–10:00. Lows of −9 °C.
AEMET's issue times, in mainland Spain time (Canary Islands in island time). Notice is the time from issue to the first hour the warning covered; a warning issued “for the current hour” runs from the hour it is published.
What this says and what it doesn't
A warning is an AEMET forecast, not a measurement or a damage report: it says a threshold is expected to be exceeded in a zone. A warning is not damage; a zone is not a building.
A zone-day is one warning zone with a warning on one day. Ten zones at orange on the same day make ten zone-days. A day with several warnings in one zone counts once, at its highest level.
Each zone has its own thresholds, so an orange heat warning in Asturias doesn't mean the same temperature as in Córdoba. More in how warnings work.
To cite: “Climaviso, from AEMET warnings”.
Source: official AEMET warnings, collected by Climaviso since June 2018.
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