'Storm Bruno' replaces 'Storm Ana': Rain, wind, cold and snow across Spain

NOW Storm Ana has blown over, Spain is about to be hit by Storm Bruno with torrential rain, wind and snow in the centre, south and north of the country and in mountainous areas.

Spain's second 'storm with a name' is currently lingering off the coast of Galicia and Cantabria, having arrived today (Christmas Day) and this powerful Atlantic front will bring cold and blustery weather to the rest of the mainland between Boxing Day and this coming Thursday (December 28).

Only the far south-east of the country is likely to escape, although snow is possible in these areas from altitudes of around 1,200 to 1,500 metres.

Storms and hail along the north coast and snow at altitudes above 700 metres are forecast for Wednesday, and above 1,000 in the centre of the country.

About 20 to 30 centimetres (eight to 12 inches) of snow is expected in the Pyrénées and across Cantabria and Asturias, or around five to 10 centimetres (two to four inches) in the central mountains and those of southern Aragón.

High winds will start from Boxing Day evening in the north-west and spread to the rest of the mainland by the early hours of Wednesday, reaching 100 to 110 kilometres per hour (62 to 68mph) in the north and 70 to 80 kilometres per hour (43.5 to 50mph) on the rest of the mainland and in the Balearic Islands.

Force 7 and 8 gales will bring tidal surges with waves of between six and eight metres (19'8” to 26 feet) in Galicia and on the Cantabrian Sea coast, and three to four metres (9'9” to 13 feet) off the shores of the Balearics, Catalunya and south-eastern Andalucía.

A fresh Atlantic front will reach the mainland by Thursday, although an anticyclone travelling from the Portuguese islands of the Azores will hit Spain at the weekend, calming weather conditions down everywhere except in the north-west and the western Pyrénées.

Fog is likely in inland areas from the weekend, and daytime temperatures will start to go up after taking a plunge over the next three days.

The Canary Islands will suffer far less, with some morning fog in the north over the coming week and a very slight possibility of light rain.

Already, on Christmas Day, up to four centimetres (nearly two inches) of rain, or 40 litres per square metre, has caused floods in Sanlúcar de Barrameda (Cádiz province) and forced firefighters to abandon their festive fun and spend the day bailing out homes, shops and roads.