The hail enters this Thursday, August 27, in the weather forecast of AEMET in some areas of the northwest of Spain. The most adverse situation is concentrated in Galicia, where the passage of a front leaves an unstable day and there is a risk that certain storms will reach intensity. The national prediction highlights heavy showers in the northwest of the peninsula as a significant phenomenon.
The official warnings from the State Meteorological Agency also specify the risk in Rías Baixas, in Pontevedra, where a yellow warning for storms is issued with a probability of 40%-70% and the express indication of "probable hail." This data allows for the discussion of hail risk in that area, but it does not automatically extrapolate to the rest of the territories where precipitation is expected.
The weather situation may change over the next few hours. AEMET is monitoring adverse phenomena through Meteoalert, so the warnings should be checked throughout the day, especially before making trips or outdoor activities.
Pontevedra, under risk of storms with probable hail
The Rías Baixas concentrate one of the main focal points of attention. The AEMET warning specifically includes the possibility of hail associated with storms, so this area of Pontevedra presents the most clearly identified risk in the official information consulted this Thursday.
The yellow warning represents a low danger within the Meteoalert scale, but it does not equate to an absence of risk. Storms are phenomena that can develop in a very localized manner, so conditions can differ considerably between relatively close points.
The warning should not be interpreted as a confirmation that it will hail in all municipalities of the Rías Baixas. AEMET speaks of probability, and the effective appearance of the phenomenon will depend on the evolution of the storm cells.
Heavy showers in the northwest and significant rains in Galicia
Beyond the hail, AEMET's general prediction identifies heavy showers in the northwest of the peninsula among the significant phenomena of this Thursday. The agency also highlights the possibility of relevant accumulations in the southwest of Galicia.
The Galician community presents cloudy or overcast skies, with rain and scattered showers within a day marked by instability. The distribution and intensity of the precipitation vary between the different areas of the community.
The scenario is also not identical throughout the north. In Asturias, weak rains and scattered showers are expected, more frequent during the central hours, with a tendency to clear up by the end of the afternoon.
Not all areas with storms have confirmed hail risk
The distinction is important because storm and hail are not synonyms. A forecast of storm activity does not automatically allow for the addition of hail risk if the official forecast does not expressly contemplate that phenomenon.
Meteorological warnings allow for a better specification of the risk because they delimit adverse phenomena by areas and determined time periods. Therefore, a general forecast of precipitation or storms for a province does not necessarily imply that the entire area is exposed to hail.
To know where there is officially recognized adverse meteorological risk, the reference must be the current Meteoalert map and its successive updates, especially during episodes of rapid evolution.
What the yellow warning from AEMET means
The warnings from AEMET are established for specific areas and during determined periods. The agency uses its Meteoalert Plan to provide updated information on adverse atmospheric phenomena that may affect Spanish territory.
In the case of the Rías Baixas, the warning for storms consulted this Thursday presents yellow level and a probability situated between 40% and 70%, accompanied by the warning about probable hail.
The localized nature of the storms requires a correct interpretation of these warnings. An intense discharge may occur in a small area while nearby localities register much less significant phenomena, so the warning does not imply that the entire area will suffer the same conditions.
Where to consult AEMET warnings in real time
AEMET has a specific map to consult the active meteorological warnings, where the predicted phenomenon, the level of danger, the affected area, the probability, and the corresponding validity period are detailed.
The consultation of the map is especially recommended in a storm situation because the warnings can be updated as the forecast changes. Following the successive updates allows knowing if the risk increases, decreases, or shifts to other areas during the day.
This Thursday, the official information allows locating the main focus of instability in the northwest and explicitly talking about risk of hail in the Rías Baixas. For other areas, any reference to hail must be conditioned to what the successive updates from AEMET indicate.