This year the Three Wise Men will bring more than just gifts and toys. Your visit to the capital this weekend will coincide with the arrival of a cold wave that will cause a pronounced drop in temperatures and rain throughout the Community of Madrid.
Starting this Friday, thermometers in the region will register temperatures below -1ºC, even reaching -3ºC in some parts of the Madrid mountains. For this reason, the Community of Madrid has activated high risk level 2 in response to what will be the first cold wave of this season.
The forecast for this Friday in the capital already anticipates a cold and humid environment with temperatures that will not exceed 8ºC, while on Saturday a slight rise in the minimum temperatures is expected, which will go from -3 to 2 degrees, although the maximums will remain anchored. in 8 degrees. Looking ahead to Sunday the thermometers will soften with minimums of 7 degrees and maximums of 13, although the thermal increase will be accompanied by rains in the capital and other municipalities in the region.
The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) predicts rainfall throughout the Community of Madrid during Sunday and Monday, coinciding with the last days of Christmas celebrations. At the moment, the rain forecast for the day of the parade is 100%, a figure that will be maintained during Three Kings Day.
Given these conditions, some municipalities in the Community of Madrid such as San Sebastión de los Reyes have decided to take measures to guarantee “with all guarantees” the celebration of the expected parade. In the capital there are parades scheduled in the 21 districts from this Friday until Sunday, the day on which the main parade will be held and on which very cloudy skies accompanied by storms are expected from midday.
How to act in the face of a cold wave
Given the weather forecasts for this weekend, the Community of Madrid has activated level 2 of high risk due to a cold wave. This measure is part of the Plan for Surveillance and Control of the Effects of Cold on Health, which is in operation from December 1 to March 31 of this year. Thus, following the criteria of the Cold Wave Protocol, the cold alert was activated, the first of this season.
The plan is aimed at the most vulnerable population groups: older people, newborns and infants, chronically ill people, homeless people or people in precarious situations. The objective is to “reduce diseases associated with low thermal values, as well as their effects harmful. These meteorological phenomena aggravate cardiovascular and respiratory pathologies, rheumatic symptoms and promote colds, bronchial infections and flu.”
The Plan establishes three levels that serve to determine the level of danger and the possible activation of alerts due to a cold wave. They are based on the average minimum temperature expected in the following three days of the four observatories of the Spanish Meteorological Agency in the region: normality, caution and high risk. As a novelty this year, the latter is established when the minimum temperature is at the threshold of 1.9 degrees Celsius, which is the limit established for the Community of Madrid by the state health authority.
The Ministry of Health advises the population to inform themselves of the weather forecasts before going outside. Given the temperature drop, it is recommended to use wind- and moisture-resistant outerwear, and, underneath these, cover yourself with clothing that is not excessively tight.
You must also adequately protect your head, as well as your hands, as they are sensitive areas with greater heat loss, and wear waterproof and non-slip footwear to avoid falls (due to possible ice patches), especially in the case of people. older. Likewise, you must try to stay dry, since wet clothing cools the body quickly.
In general, it is recommended to be aware of citizens who may find themselves in a vulnerable situation during these dates. If necessary, it is advisable to contact 112, the social services of your town hall or health centers.
The Community of Madrid reminds, on the other hand, that extreme caution must be taken with wood and gas stoves or braziers, to avoid risks of fire or carbon monoxide poisoning, ensuring that they work correctly before starting them and that the air vents are not obstructed. To guarantee adequate protection in the home, it is enough to maintain a temperature of 20-22 degrees, with good thermal insulation.
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