The Valencian Community has experienced its coldest Christmas Day in many years, with exceptionally low daytime temperatures reported across Alicante, Valencia and Castellón. According to the State Meteorological Agency, the daytime maximums were more than 6ºC below the long-term average for 25 December. Despite cloudy and wet conditions preventing an especially cold night, the daytime readings were the most unusual, making this the coldest Christmas Day since 1962 when considering daytime temperatures alone.

In Alicante, it was the coldest 25 December daytime temperature since 1962, while Valencia last saw such a cold Christmas Day in 1976. Castellón de la Plana recorded its lowest Christmas daytime temperature since 1994. Conditions on Friday began with further cloud and scattered showers, with more widespread rain along the southern Valencia coast and northern Alicante.

Snow has been falling in the northern interior of Castellón at elevations above 900 metres, although the snowline is expected to rise as the day progresses. Precipitation is forecast to continue throughout the weekend, with cold weather remaining in place, although Sunday’s rainfall is not expected to be as persistent as earlier in the week.

Snow accumulation has forced the closure of a section of the N-232 near the Torre Miró pass, which remains fully covered. The regional Emergency Coordination Centre has confirmed that the risk protocol for snow remains at level zero. Firefighters from the Castellón Provincial Consortium have been deployed across highland areas, supported by forest units from Castellfort, Morella, Sant Mateu and Ballestar.