# Winter roads in Spain



## Triker54 (Nov 10, 2013)

Apologies if this is a stupid question but we're booked on the Feb 25 ferry to Santander. This is the first of our fact finding visits before deciding whether to make a permanent move to Spain.
From Santander we're then driving down to Oliva via Zaragoza ( A68 - A 23) keeping to the autopista whenever possible. 
I've been advised to buy some snowchains, particularly for use on the first part of the journey. Whilst no-one can predict the weather a month in advance, I'd appreciate your opinions on whether you think this is necessary, or are the autopistas kept clear whatever the weather?

Many thanks,
Peter


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## 213979 (Apr 11, 2013)

The autopistas are usually kept quite clear, even on the first leg of your journey. Even if we get hit with snow (eg. the other day on that first mountain pass before Vitoria), things aren't that bad for that long. If you know how to drive in snow, I'd be more worried about the others who don't!


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

I wouldn't worry about it. The snow so far have kept away this year, at least in Santander/Basque Country/Navarra/Zaragoza/Teruel. Even if it snows when you arrive, this is not England, where everything stops because of 'snow blizzards' (when it is actually a few snow flakes!!). 

Welcome to Oliva! We just spent the day there eating paella, mind you, it is only a bit over 1 mile from here to Oliva.


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## 213979 (Apr 11, 2013)

Lolito said:


> I wouldn't worry about it. The snow so far have kept away this year, at least in Santander/Basque Country/Navarra/Zaragoza/Teruel. Even if it snows when you arrive, this is not England, where everything stops because of 'snow blizzards' (when it is actually a few snow flakes!!).
> 
> Welcome to Oliva! We just spent the day there eating paella, mind you, it is only a bit over 1 mile from here to Oliva.


Ay, hijuca/o.

La nieve deja inesperadas y fuertes retenciones en la autov?a entre Vitoria y Bilbao. El Correo

The only bad weather I've seen between Bilbao and Santander has been a lot of sleet.


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## Triker54 (Nov 10, 2013)

Thanks for that - its all very reassuring ( apart from the last link!).

Purely out of interest, in a 'normal' year when do you consider the risk of snow in the North to be passed?


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

I am from Navarra myself and when I was little, it used to snow a few times a year, mainly between November right to May... I remember we couldn't go to school for days! Nowadays it is not the same but I would say from Dec to Feb, mainly February being the coldest month of the winter (generally).


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## 213979 (Apr 11, 2013)

Triker54 said:


> Thanks for that - its all very reassuring ( apart from the last link!).
> 
> Purely out of interest, in a 'normal' year when do you consider the risk of snow in the North to be passed?


It's something I truly wouldn't worry about. 

I have to cross a 700m mountain pass on a second category local highway to get to work. The *only* days I haven't crossed the pass have been during this last week - and it isn't an important road! (Only the cows, the milk truck, and I use it, I think.) I would have no worries about the AP/A-68!


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## whitenoiz (Sep 18, 2012)

Whilst the chances of running into snow are prety remote, it's worth remembering that that if DGT / Guardia Civil Trafficos advocate the use of snow chains it's not optional, its mandatory and they _will _stop you using the affected roads until the restriction is lifted if you are not so equipped. 

Snow chains when used should only be fitted to the vehicles driven wheels ie FWD front wheels, RWD (eg BMW's) rear wheels. 

On the day you can get up to date trafic information and any applicable restrictions, here


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

whitenoiz said:


> Whilst the chances of running into snow are prety remote, it's worth remembering that that if DGT / Guardia Civil Trafficos advocate the use of snow chains it's not optional, its mandatory and they _will _stop you using the affected roads until the restriction is lifted if you are not so equipped.
> 
> Snow chains when used should only be fitted to the vehicles driven wheels ie FWD front wheels, RWD (eg BMW's) rear wheels.
> 
> On the day you can get up to date trafic information and any applicable restrictions, here


That's what I would have said.
And everybody's talked about Cantabría and the north, but there are also mountains before you get to Madrid (Somosierra). It's not likely that you'll get stuck in snow because they clear it quickly and it has to be said that this year little snow has fallen, but it can snow right up until May. If the police/ Guardia Civil say don't travel or only with chains you'd better follow their indications.


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## whitenoiz (Sep 18, 2012)

...and its only about six weeks or so ago that this picture was taken in the inland Alicante region!


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## chica de cocentaina (Jul 25, 2011)

*Winter*

Yes, this was our garden and land mid November ...inland Alicante !


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## 213979 (Apr 11, 2013)

So... To get snow I have to move to the Costas? Gosh, I've made a big mistake! And here I was, thinking I would get snow in the mountains of the north.


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

Cocentaina (near Alcoi) is not quite the 'costa', but I know what you mean, besides, lots of mountains in that area, around 400 to 600 m. over the sea levels. Lucky them!


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## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

A friend was booked on the Portsmouth-Bilbao (via Roscoff) ferry on Sunday, Feb 2nd. The day before, he was contacted by Brittany Ferries to tell him that the ferry had been cancelled due to bad weather. He had to drive it instead - starting in Scotland and arriving in Madrid.

These pictures show the seas up north last week with 8m high waves. This coincided with his outward journey and it took four days before his world stopped spinning:

Un fuerte temporal sacude el Cantábrico | Fotogalería | Madrid | EL PAÃ�S


The moral of the story? Have a Plan B ready just in case!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Madliz said:


> A friend was booked on the Portsmouth-Bilbao (via Roscoff) ferry on Sunday, Feb 2nd. The day before, he was contacted by Brittany Ferries to tell him that the ferry had been cancelled due to bad weather. He had to drive it instead - starting in Scotland and arriving in Madrid.
> 
> These pictures show the seas up north last week with 8m high waves. This coincided with his outward journey and it took four days before his world stopped spinning:
> 
> ...


Well, I would have had to have a valium - or two!!
What a trip he must have had


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