Brace yourselves: After brutal summer, winter will hit hard

Prepare yourself: Winter is coming after a brutal summer


The summer 2025 was historic. It will be remembered for being one of the hottest summers ever, not just in Spain but throughout Europe.

Bilbao experienced temperatures of up to 40C, while cities like Cordoba and Seville reached nearly 50C. Spain’s Health Ministry reported that approximately 1,100 deaths were caused by the heat.

Then there were the fires. According to European Forest Fire Information System data, the flames burned 350,000 hectares of land (the size of Mallorca), leaving behind a landscape that was charred and a depleted emergency service.

As Europe is catching its breath, the scientists warn us that winter may be a brutal blow.

La Niña will shake the atmosphere

Meteorologists at Severe Weather Europe (SWE) say the upcoming cold season will be shaped by a weak La Niña. What does it mean? This phenomenon that cools Pacific water disrupts atmospheric circulation around the globe.

The jet stream, a powerful band of wind that races across the upper atmosphere, will feel the effects. The jet stream could shift, which means more cold, moist air would be brought into the mid latitudes. In other words, it will bring colder and snowier temperatures to Europe.

Heavy snowfall and brutal cold

This forecast is not complete without the polar vortex. The polar vortex is the real star (or villain? This large swirl of cold air stays over the Arctic most of the time. However, weather experts believe it may be much weaker this year. When it weakens it can send freezing cold air south, bringing heavy snow and brutal cold.

Scientists warn of the possibility of weeks or months with temperatures below normal in Europe if the vortex collapses. It’s winter and it is not kind.

The month of January 2026 is likely to be unstable.

According to experts, all eyes are on the next January of 2026. Forecasts indicate that a strong block of high pressure is forming in northern Europe. This forces cold air to flow into the central and western regions from the northeast.

The result? The result? Temperatures that are below average in many parts of the continent. A contrast: cold waves that are followed by warm spells, which last only a short time, which is a stark difference to the mild winters in recent years.

What about Spain

Spain is faced with a mixed bag in this context. Northern and central Spain will likely be the hardest hit by polar blasts. But the Mediterranean Coast and Southern regions will oscillate between cold outbursts and warmer waves from North Africa.

The weather is already causing concern for the agriculture, transportation, and energy sectors. SWE warns: “Cold anomalies are often underestimated in forecasts. Spain could therefore experience harsher episodes that predicted.”

From heat to ice

Overall, prepare yourself. Europe is now preparing for a volatile, sweltering winter after a long and suffocating Summer. The long-range forecasts are prone to uncertainty. However, there is a general consensus that the winter will not be peaceful.

Here are more updates from Spain.


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About Liam Bradford

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Liam Bradford, a seasoned news editor with over 20 years of experience, currently based in Spain, is known for his editorial expertise, commitment to journalistic integrity, and advocating for press freedom.

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