The Government Delegation in Castilla y León activates the pre-emergency phase in Soria due to heavy snowfall and alert in nine areas of the Community

• The Government delegate in Castilla y León, Nicanor Sen, has urgently called on the Regional Executive Committee to coordinate the actions in the face of the storm of snow, ice, rain and cold that will affect the entire Community, except for the Northwest • The ‘borrasca Juan’ will leave accumulations of up to 12 centimeters in the province of Soria on the day of this Friday, giving way to a temperature collapse that could reach 15 degrees below zero • Nine areas of the Community will be kept on alert this Friday, specifically the provinces of Segovia (Meseta and Sistema Central and Iboria)

January 18, 2024.- The Government Delegation in Castilla y León has activated in the afternoon of this Thursday the Pre-Emergency Phase of the winter road plan for the snow and ice alert from 00:00 hours on Friday 19 hours in the area of the Soria Plateau, where accumulations are expected that could reach 12 centimeters.

Likewise, the alert phase has been activated in nine other areas of the community, specifically in the provinces of Segovia (Meseta and Sistema Central), Ávila (Sistema Central), where thicknesses of 5 centimeters could be reached; and in Burgos (Meseta and Ibérica) and Soria (Ibérica and Sistema Central), where snow accumulations of up to 10 centimeters are not ruled out.

This has been agreed at the emergency meeting convened by the Government delegate in Castilla y León, Nicanor Sen, of the Regional Executive Committee provided for in the Protocol of the Government Delegation for the coordination of actions in the face of snowfall and other extreme weather situations.

A meeting that has allowed to analyze the situation and the consequences that will be left in a large part of the Community by the ‘borrasca Juan’ and that have been attended by the regional leaders of the General Directorate of Traffic, of the Traffic Group of the Civil Guard, Civil Protection, State Meteorology Agency, Eastern Road Demarcation and the Military Emergency Unit

From Aemet they have warned that the situation will worsen at the end of the day on Thursday, where the rains will begin to make a presence in the southeast of Castilla y León, giving way to intense snowfall in the Plateau of Soria, where the orange level has been activated and a “complicated day” is expected this Friday.

Specifically, it is planned that from 5:00 am on January 19, the first snowfall begins to be recorded, with a height that initially will be 1,500 meters but that, in the course of the morning, will go down to 700 meters, leaving thicknesses that could reach 12 centimeters of snow accumulated in some points.

In localities such as Burgos de Osma, the forecasts point to thicknesses of up to 6 centimeters, in the Segovia Plateau of 5 centimeters and it is not even ruled out that the snow makes presence in Valladolid capital, between 10:00 hours and 14:00 hours with thicknesses of 2 centimeters. Snowfall that could even reach the plateau of Salamanca, although with a weak character.

STRONG FROST

A “very intense” episode that, although it will last less than 24 hours, since it is expected that at the end of the day on Friday, both snow and rain precipitation will disappear.

From that moment, the Aemet already warns that the Community will register a generalized temperature collapse, which in provinces such as Soria could reach 15 degrees below zero. A situation that, predictably, will result in the appearance of important snow plates on the roads.

Faced with this situation, the Government Delegation has activated all the necessary means to deal with the heavy storm. Specifically, in Soria, the 49 snow removal teams available from midnight this Friday will be deployed, intensifying the work between 4:00 and 5:00 hours. Likewise, all the teams in both the provinces of Segovia and Ávila are on alert, and there is a reinforcement of the means available in the province of Burgos.

For its part, the General Directorate of Traffic has been active since the morning of this Thursday in the information panels the warnings for the storm on all roads, the staff of the Management Center has been strengthened and it has been recommended that those trips that are not essential in the areas where the orange warning has been decreed be avoided.

In cases where snow affects the movement of roads, to ensure fluidity and road safety, the DGT may establish a series of measures, such as restrictions on the movement of heavy vehicles, speed limitation, prohibition of overtaking or preventive cuts.

For its part, the Civil Traffic Guard has planned the reinforcement of the service in those areas where the pre-emergency and alert phases have been activated, positioning the patrols in the areas of greatest interest to ensure the safety of drivers who transit through those areas.

Likewise, the Military Emergency Unit keeps the units equipped and on alert to act in case of need.

CALL TO CITIZENSHIP

“This afternoon I convened the Regional Executive Committee as a matter of urgency in the face of the adverse weather forecasts that are expected this Friday. Tomorrow at 10 a.m. we will meet again to analyze the situation and assess the measures to be adopted again,” said Nicanor Sen, who appealed for the prudence of drivers.

“The government in Castilla y León has its entire operation already underway, but it is necessary that we make an appeal to the citizens. Be careful and responsible, and take extreme measures mainly on the roads in the area where the main traffic problems will be recorded. And of course, before you get on your way, check out the official sources of information,” he concluded.