Storm Nils has decided to cross the city with a force we haven’t seen in a long time, leaving a trail of leaves, branches, and the occasional battered shutter in its wake. With gusts already reaching 90 km/h in places such as the Port and the Sant Andreu neighborhood, Barcelona City Council has activated the Municipal Action Plan for high winds in the alert phase.
And as safety is paramount, getting around the city today means knowing that not everything will be open as on any other Wednesday, so here we explain all the effects that storm Nils is having in Barcelona.
Thursday without schools or non-urgent medical appointments
The situation has escalated to such an extent that the Catalan government has decided to take drastic measures for this Thursday. The Minister of the Interior, Núria Parlon, has announced that all educational, university, and sporting activities will be suspended tomorrow in all regions of Catalonia.
But that’s not all: any non-urgent healthcare activities are also being postponed. The regional government has made a direct appeal to avoid unnecessary travel and to prioritize teleworking whenever possible.
In fact, this afternoon you are expected to receive an ES-Alert notification on your mobile phone with details of these restrictions, which will be in force from midnight until 8:00 p.m. on Thursday.
The Bicing service has also been suspended due to the wind and will remain out of service until midnight on February 12.
Parks closed and the Zoo on hold
If you were planning a romantic stroll through Park Güell or taking the kids to see the lions, you’ll have to change your plans. The city council has ordered the preventive closure of all parks and gardens in the city to avoid incidents involving falling branches, a risk that is particularly high today. Barcelona Zoo has also closed until further notice, as have the municipal cemeteries, which will only maintain burial services under strict precautionary measures.
Even culture has been unexpectedly affected: at the Glòries , the outdoor exhibition of the Goya Awards has suffered a “domino effect” and the wind has knocked down most of the large-format photographs.
No boats or walks along the breakwater
The storm is not only blowing on land. Civil Protection has activated the Procicat plan pre-alert due to strong waves, with forecasts of waves that could exceed 4 meters on the Barcelona coast. The Port of Barcelona and the Fire Department are insisting on a basic but vital recommendation: stay away from breakwaters and any area where waves can break with force, as the peak of the storm is expected between Thursday morning and noon.
This has already had direct consequences on maritime transport: the company Baleària has suspended its fast ferry service linking Barcelona with Alcúdia and Ciutadella.
Renfe and Rodalies affected by the storm
The <shortcode data-tag=”trackLink” 0=”” class=”ng-star-inserted” 1=”href=”https://barcelonasecreta.com/alerta-viento-catalunya-barcelona-tarrgona/”>https://barcelonasecreta.com/alerta-viento-catalunya-barcelona-tarrgona/</a>””>strong windstorm</shortcode> has seriously complicated rail mobility in Barcelona, forcing Renfe to close the Premià de Mar, Malgrat de Mar, and Barberà del Vallès stations due to the risk of their canopies collapsing. Although Rodalies and FGC are maintaining service, they are doing so with speed restrictions and occasional interruptions on lines such as the R1, R4, and R11 due to fallen trees, while alternative buses are being provided on the most critical sections.
<p>In contrast, the high-speed line between Barcelona and Madrid is withstanding the storm without any direct impact, maintaining its normal operations beyond the structural delays that the route has been experiencing for weeks. In any case, if you have to travel today, the recommendation is clear: check for real-time service updates, because your train schedule will, at best, be approximate.
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<h2>Urban survival tips for dealing with Nils</h2><br />
The Barcelona Fire Department and the 112 emergency service are receiving a constant stream of calls (more than 500 throughout Catalonia), most of them reporting broken awnings, flying flower pots, and branches blocking streets such as Badajoz and the Montjuïc area, where a large tree has been uprooted near the Magic Fountain.<br />
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To prevent your terrace from becoming the next star of a viral video, the authorities recommend removing any objects from balconies and, above all, taking down awnings. It seems obvious, but this is the main reason for emergency teams’ interventions these days. For now, the Catalan Meteorological Service is maintaining a red alert (maximum alert) for Thursday, so we need to be patient and hold on to our hats when crossing the street.
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