- Time of past OR future Camino
- Sept/Oct 2023
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I walked in mid-April 2 years ago and it was snowing when we started. In fact, they closed the 'Napoleon route' but let us through as we were booked in Borda. The wind when reaching the top nearly blew us off the path. Then it was torrential rain and Zubiri was practically impassable... Be preparedHola todos! I'm beginning to watch the weather across the CF closely as I will be walking in April. I saw this and thought it might be good info for those walking now in Navarra as AEMET is predicting wind gusts of up to 90km/hr. But maybe this is normal for this time of year????
https://www.tiempo.com/avisos-meteorologicos/avisos-mna.html
Quote from the above:
Ambit Navarrese Pyrenees
StartMarch 8, 2024 1:00 p.m.
EndMarch 8, 2024 16:59 Probability40%-70%
Description Maximum gusts: 90 km/h. Winds from the south and southeast. Be careful.
ALSO
very high winds along the coast of Portugal (force 8)
Oh yes I did! And met some super people on the way- like you!You saw some bad weather on your last walk.... And survived!
I walked in mid-April 2 years ago and it was snowing when we started. In fact, they closed the 'Napoleon route' but let us through as we were booked in Borda. The wind when reaching the top nearly blew us off the path. Then it was torrential rain and Zubiri was practically impassable... Be prepared
I must add that we met a few special mountain guardia civil when going up, if they let you through, you'll be safe,
There are currently official severe weather warnings for the next few days for some parts of Spain, including the Pyrenean area between SJPP and Roncesvalles. Warning levels are yellow and orange. You don’t see it when you look into the sky in the morning, you see it on a TV screen in a bar or on your mobile phone or on the printed weather forecast that is put up on a bord in the Pilgrim Office of SJPP.
A nice article about what it means. I saw it three days ago: https://www.spiegel.de/panorama/wet...chkeit-a-44cf8f40-584d-4af2-a878-b95e4d90818d - "Do you understand the weather forecast?"
It is in German but the web translation into English works well. For what it is worth, I, too, struggle with the meaning of probability.
The main point of the article I quoted, just to make it clear, is explaining rain probability (or thunderstorm etc probability) - where, when, how much it might rain the next day. Something I did not know: A 70% probability of rain for tomorrow means that there was precipitation at this location in 7 out of 10 cases under comparable weather conditions in the past.colour coding for German weather
Unfortunately with climate change there is no normal now really, and the forecasts are very rarely accurate more than 48hrs out (even 24hrs sometimes) because they are based on now outdated models from when the world wasn't in quite such a mess. So at best, we are now left with semi-educated guesses.But maybe this is normal for this time of year????
No, it's springtime. You will see EVERY type of weather. Hot, cold, sun, cloudy, rain, & snow.It’s winter, storms are normal for now. Historically, April has been a nice mixture of early month snowstorms giving way to increasing sunshine among sporadic rain. There’s a big difference in a month.
I very nearly sent clothes home after starting on the Mozarabe a couple of weeks ago. First few days out of Almeria hot and dry. Bag a little too heavy so I thought to send my poncho, trouser/shorts and a long sleeve t-shirt home. Luckily for me, the post office didn't open until the afternoon. A week later I had sun, rain, hail, wind and snow all in the same day; fate had been on my sideEarly spring weather is unpredictable and can change very quickly. Especially in the mountains.
So I probably wouldn't even trust the weather report for the next day, but before starting my walk of the day, have a look at the radar for the next few hours instead (which usually is very accurate) and have a good look at the sky. Then adapt to the given conditions (unless there is a major official weather warning of course, then no walking). Adapting to the conditions can also mean stop walking early, turn around back to the nearest town, hop on a bus, ect.
For me it will also be a spring Camino this year. Has been a while and I'm more nervous what to pack than usually, which is a weird feeling.
I'll pack clothes for layers, and this time boots and some lightweight gaiters too. If snow is in the forecast the day before I start my travels, I'll bring my snow chains/spikes. No swimming suit this time, that's for sure.
I'm beginning to watch the weather across the CF closely as I will be walking in April.
Ummmmm, NOT a good idea especially if you know the history of Franco’s Civil Guard!!!! This would be a huge international incident if it ever occurred.Do the Spanish Guardia Civil operate on the French side? Seems a good idea if they do.
Every year a number of French gendarmes and other foreign police officers take part in patrolling the Caminos. Largely a publicity exercise but also a goodwill gesture. I would be very surprised to find that relations between the two main police forces were anything other than cordial in the Roncesvalles/SJPDP area. The Guardia Civil today is very different from the institution under Franco and enjoys a remarkably high degree of public approval. And if my limited contact with them is typical then rightly so. Courteous, helpful and very professional.Ummmmm, NOT a good idea especially if you know the history of Franco’s Civil Guard!!!! This would be a huge international incident if it ever occurred.
Actually, now you mention it, I think they were French... My mistake. (My friend also spoke to them and since she only speaks French, they mush have been French too lol)Do the Spanish Guardia Civil operate on the French side? Seems a good idea if they do.
No, not nowadays... Not likelyUmmmmm, NOT a good idea especially if you know the history of Franco’s Civil Guard!!!! This would be a huge international incident if it ever occurred.
Yes, foreign police agents are sometimes embedded in a Spanish police team working in a Camino context. But they have no jurisdiction and would not patrol on their own. I am relieved to read that it has now been established that the Guardia Civil agents on the route Napoleon were not Spanish Guardia Civil agents but French gendarmes - or whatever the correct name is these days.Every year a number of French gendarmes and other foreign police officers take part in patrolling the Caminos.
We began the Mozarabe two weeks before Sue, and had mainly great weather, although we had a few days with high wind, rain, and hail that were very challenging. Our Mozarabe ended the day before torrential rains began again, which were predicted to be unrelenting for five days. We did not plan around weather. We just got lucky. So good luck!I very nearly sent clothes home after starting on the Mozarabe a couple of weeks ago. First few days out of Almeria hot and dry. Bag a little too heavy so I thought to send my poncho, trouser/shorts and a long sleeve t-shirt home. Luckily for me, the post office didn't open until the afternoon. A week later I had sun, rain, hail, wind and snow all in the same day; fate had been on my side
I would take some tights or merino base layer - for sleeping and extra insulation if needed.Do I need thermal tights? What have I missed?
You should send them an email to ask. I have heard that Orisson will drive people down to the Valcarlos route if the weather turns bad. Perhaps Laurent at Borda does the same.If forced to take the Valcarlos route due to bad weather does anyone know if Borda will provide a refund?
Getting a ride down to the Valcarlos route due to nasty weather would be AWESOME! In the event that weather looks like packing it in a day or so out, I'll message Laurent and see what he says. Thanks @trecileYou should send them an email to ask. I have heard that Orisson will drive people down to the Valcarlos route if the weather turns bad. Perhaps Laurent at Borda does the same.
Thanks @C clearly !I would take some tights or merino base layer - for sleeping and extra insulation if needed.
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