Central Spain records temperatures of -25°C after snowstorm • Hacker News Board

Re: Central Spain records temperatures of -25°C after snowstorm

#31

Post by soyyo » Tue, Jan 12, 2021, 9:01 PM UTC

cal5k wrote: post #2

Cold-blooded Canadian here, so forgive me for asking - is this highly unusual?

In Madrid city it may snow one or two times a year, but not all years, also most of the time the snow goes away the same day it falls. A few years the snow remains in the city for a couple of days, but is not that common and is usually seen as a joyful event.

But this time, the whole city was completely covered in snow, all of it. Cars abandoned in the middle of the street, people skying in the main avenues, it was crazy, no one I know has ever seen this here so if it has ever happened, it must been at least 80 years ago.

Re: Central Spain records temperatures of -25°C after snowstorm

#32

Post by bfieidhbrjr » Tue, Jan 12, 2021, 9:01 PM UTC

_nothing wrote: post #24

eznzt wrote: post #14

Global warming at its finest.

You can't have gone the past couple decades without anyone pointing out there's a difference between weather and climate, so I'm assuming you understand the difference but choose to ignore it in hopes that there will be people ignorant enough to believe you.

Maybe we could ban them like Parler for all the WrongThink!

Re: Central Spain records temperatures of -25°C after snowstorm

#33

Post by maaaaattttt » Tue, Jan 12, 2021, 9:04 PM UTC

To put this in context as well, most places (at the least in the southern parts of Spain) don't have central heating systems or proper insulation. A fireplace or reversible A/C if you're lucky.

Re: Central Spain records temperatures of -25°C after snowstorm

#34

Post by nend » Tue, Jan 12, 2021, 9:05 PM UTC

tpmx wrote: post #3

In the mountains, at about 3k feet or 1k meters elevation. Yes, the headline is quite misleading. I expect more from the BBC . From the article: > The temperature plunged to -25C (-13F) in Molina de Aragón and Teruel, in mountains east of Madrid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molina_de_Arag%C3%B3n > Elevation 1,065 m (3,494 ft) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teruel > Elevation 915 m (3,002 ft)

That doesn't seem very misleading. The estimated temperature difference for every 1000 meters in additional elevation is only 5-6C.

Re: Central Spain records temperatures of -25°C after snowstorm

#35

Post by imnotlost » Tue, Jan 12, 2021, 9:06 PM UTC

Snow in Madrid is definitely unusual but Spain gets snow every year.

"You can go to Puerto de Navacerrada for a few hours of skiing then return to Madrid to continue visiting the many attractions in Europe’s fourth-largest city."

https://www.justapack.com/best-ski-resorts-in-spain-ski-reso...

Re: Central Spain records temperatures of -25°C after snowstorm

#36

Post by raarts » Tue, Jan 12, 2021, 9:06 PM UTC

For those interested in events like this. There's a guy[1] that collects reports on cold weather records and maintains a mailing list.

He's a wonky guy and kinda bent on the solar minimum but if you can see past that, his list does a good job of reporting on cold extremes across the world.

[1] electroverse.net

Re: Central Spain records temperatures of -25°C after snowstorm

#37

Post by dukeofdoom » Tue, Jan 12, 2021, 9:07 PM UTC

This is killing temperature even for the hardiest palm. So I'm wondering how much of their mature trees and landscaping will be destroyed

Re: Central Spain records temperatures of -25°C after snowstorm

#38

Post by PeterisP » Tue, Jan 12, 2021, 9:07 PM UTC

cs702 wrote: post #11

For those accustomed to US/Imperial units, -25×9÷5+32=-13°F. Temperatures in Madrid dropped to -16°C (3°F). As others here have mentioned, these temperatures are unusually low for January in this region of Spain. They are the kinds of temperatures one would have seen in January during the "Little Ice Age" between the 15th and 19th centuries.[a][b][c] Let's hope this unusual drop in temperature is just a "one-off" rar…

It absolutely is an example of things to come - scenarios like this are caused by the weakened polar vortex that generally separates European weather from Arctic weather; the polar vortex has become weaker over the last years because of recent climate change / regional warming, and it is strongly expected to become even weaker in the coming decade(s), making weather like this more frequent.

Re: Central Spain records temperatures of -25°C after snowstorm

#39

Post by cs702 » Tue, Jan 12, 2021, 9:09 PM UTC

tpmx wrote: post #3

In the mountains, at about 3k feet or 1k meters elevation. Yes, the headline is quite misleading. I expect more from the BBC . From the article: > The temperature plunged to -25C (-13F) in Molina de Aragón and Teruel, in mountains east of Madrid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molina_de_Arag%C3%B3n > Elevation 1,065 m (3,494 ft) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teruel > Elevation 915 m (3,002 ft)

Mentioning elevation without any context or reference to historical temperatures is not very helpful. Consider updating your comment.

Re: Central Spain records temperatures of -25°C after snowstorm

#40

Post by mytailorisrich » Tue, Jan 12, 2021, 9:09 PM UTC

tpmx wrote: post #3

In the mountains, at about 3k feet or 1k meters elevation. Yes, the headline is quite misleading. I expect more from the BBC . From the article: > The temperature plunged to -25C (-13F) in Molina de Aragón and Teruel, in mountains east of Madrid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molina_de_Arag%C3%B3n > Elevation 1,065 m (3,494 ft) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teruel > Elevation 915 m (3,002 ft)

The Wikipedia page for Molina de Aragón, which you linked to, says that the average low in January for that locality is -3.5C, and that the record low is -28C, which happens to also be the record low ever recorded in the whole of Spain (still according to the Wikipedia page).

-25C is thus certainly newsworthy and, well, that's in central Spain, which is elevated, but "central Spain" does not imply that it isn't and Spanish geography is what it is. This is not misleading.