Parts of Italy and Spain are experiencing a volatile transition to spring, with heavy rain, snow, and high wave alerts coinciding with traditional predictions of an imminent return to winter conditions.
Severe Weather in Italy
Northwest Italy is experiencing rain, thunderstorms, and snowfall as a high-pressure system weakens across the region.
Spanish Coastal Alerts
Emergency services in the Balearic Islands have activated yellow alerts for high waves in Mallorca and Menorca.
Traditional Forecasting Warnings
Jorge Rey, using the 'cabañuelas' method, warns of upcoming frosts and snowfall despite the official start of spring on March 20.
Bad weather swept across parts of Southern Europe on March 13-14, 2026, with rain, thunderstorms, and snow hitting Northwest Italy while Spain's Balearic Islands braced for high waves. According to ANSA, the Northwest of Italy was affected by rain, thunderstorms, and snow, with the Triveneto region also experiencing rain and the Alps receiving snowfall. Meanwhile, the Balearic Islands emergency service Emergencias activated a yellow alert for high waves affecting Mallorca and Menorca on Saturday, March 14. The alerts came less than a week before the official start of spring, which is set to begin on March 20, 2026, at 15:46 hours.
In Spain, popular forecaster Jorge Rey, known as the "weather boy" for his use of the traditional cabañuelas method, predicted an imminent return to winter conditions. According to La Razón, Rey announced that frosts, snowfall, and unstable conditions were on the way. „Frosts, snowfall and unstable conditions” (Frosts, snowfall and unstable conditions) — Jorge Rey via La Razón Rey's forecasts, derived from the cabañuelas tradition rather than scientific meteorological modeling, have attracted a wide popular following in Spain. His prediction of a winter return came as the country was already experiencing an unsettled weather episode, according to La Razón.
The cabañuelas method has been practiced in central and southern Spain and across Latin America for centuries, based on the belief that weather observed during the first twelve days of the year corresponds to conditions in each of the twelve months ahead. The method carries no scientific basis and is not recognized by official meteorological agencies. Jorge Rey gained public prominence as the "niño meteorólogo," or weather boy, by applying this traditional forecasting approach and sharing predictions through media appearances. Spain's official weather authority, the Spanish State Meteorological Agency, operates independently of traditional methods and issues forecasts based on scientific data.
AEMET spokesperson Rubén del Campo also weighed in on the seasonal outlook, according to La Razón. Del Campo noted that while spring, beginning March 20, could be warmer than usual, significant uncertainty remained in the forecast. The yellow wave alert issued for Mallorca and Menorca by Emergencias on March 14 reflected the broader pattern of unsettled conditions affecting the western Mediterranean. The convergence of alerts across Italy and Spain pointed to a wider weather system affecting the region in mid-March 2026. Official meteorological authorities in both countries continued to monitor conditions as the formal arrival of spring approached.