Traffic authorities prepare for two days of snow

The State meteorological agency, AEMET, has issued an orange weather warning for Asturias, Cantabria and Castilla y León for today, which will extend to include Aragón, Catalunya and La Rioja tomorrow.

Automatic traffic diversion routes have been set up in advance, whether or not they will be needed, as a pilot operation on the A-1 motorway heading west out of Madrid, and eight General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) emergency response centres will be in operation 24 hours a day to coordinate road layouts and warnings.

With 12 helicopters, 1,690 CCTVs, 2,466 real-time data centres, 2,310 digital overhead traffic information boards on continually-updated alerts on its website, DGT.es, the transport authority – part of the central government's ministry of public works – hopes to avert scenarios such as those experienced a year ago on the AP-61 motorway in the centre-northern provinces.

Back then, thick snow blocking the carriageway left thousands of motorists stranded overnight and triggered a flood of complaints on social media about how authorities had not prepared for the chaos or warned drivers what to expect.

Heavy rain, high winds and falling temperatures across the mainland and Balearics mean the DGT will be keeping a close area on other regions not expected to be hit by snow.

Anyone who cannot avoid driving in an at-risk area is advised to keep their fuel tank topped to the maximum, take snow chains or 'winter tyres' and know how to use them, maintain their mobile phones fully charged – ideally, bringing an extra battery – and ensure they have warm layers, blankets, food and drink with them before they set off in case of possible road blocks.

Photograph by the ministry of public works