RESIDENTS and visitors based in the foothills of the Pyrenees mountain range in Spain are being urged to exercise an extreme level of caution this weekend after a rare red weather alert was activated by meteorologists.
State weather agency Aemet have issued the highest level warning for the Girona Pyrenees and Barcelona pre-Pyrenees, warning of hurricane-force winds topping 140km/h.
The alert kicked in at 5am local time on Sunday morning and expires at 5pm on Sunday afternoon, although a lower orange level alert remains in place until Monday morning with blustery gale-force winds of around 120km/h expected.
Authorities have said there is an ‘extraordinary danger’ of falling trees and flying debris.
Temperatures in mountainous areas will also feel unseasonably cold thanks to the wind chill factor, which makes the air feel significantly colder than the actual thermometer reading.
Residents are urged to follow all emergency advice from Proteccion Civil.
Orange alerts warning of high winds are also in place across much of north-eastern Spain – although Barcelona is expected to escape the worst of the weather with winds of around 70km/h forecast for the Catalan capital.
A yellow alert – the lowest warning level on Aemet’s system – covers much of eastern Spain, stretching from Tarragona to Alicante and even heading inland towards Madrid.
The Balearic Islands are also set to feel the brunt of the breezy weather.
Orange alerts have been activated in coastal areas of Mallorca and Menorca, warning of choppy waves of between five and seven metres.
Some breakers could even top an extraordinary 12 metres in height.
The windy weather is forecast to linger around until Tuesday, coinciding with the start of Spain’s famous Semana Santa celebrations.
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