The days on which the north wind blows in the Empordà have been reduced to less than half in the last two decades and the data for the first eight months of this year confirm a trend that could be related to climate change.
The records from January 1 to August 22 of this year indicate 36 days of north wind (with winds of more than 50 km/h, at the l’Escala observatory, Alt Empordà), a figure clearly below the average. In the reference period, from 2005-2020, between the months of January and August, there was an average of 67 days of tramontana, that is, almost double that of this year, explains Sergi Corral Buela, botanist, Master’s in Climatology, meteorologist at Ràdio l’Escala and one of the few experts who has been analyzing the north wind phenomenon in the Empordà for years.
The decline of the tramontana is evident and, with provisional data, this year it seems to be confirmed that summer is the season of the year most affected by the absence of these northern winds. Thus, between January and February 2023, 16 days were recorded with this wind blowing in the Empordà (while the average for the reference period was 24 days). In the months of March, April and May (spring) there were 15 days of skiff (compared to 25 on average). So far this summer, there is only evidence in l’Escala of 5 days of tramontana, while on average in the three summer months there are 20 days with this northerly wind, indicates the detailed record of Sergi Corral.
The tramontana is blowing a few days this year but it was even more absent in 2022, marked for the moment as the year with the least tramontana since this phenomenon was recorded at the l’Escala weather station (the only one with a representative historical series ).
“In 2022, at this point in the year, 31 days of north wind had been added, that is, five less than the 36 this year,” Sergi Corral specified after analyzing his file at the request of La Vanguardia.
Corral Buela highlights the relationship between “the few days of tramuntana in summer and the high temperatures of the sea water, as well as the persistence of these abnormally high values”.
“There are many months to go and it is probable that the minimum record of 2022 will not be reached, but the data from January to August of this year consolidate the downward trend of tramontana days, with values ??well below the average “concludes Sergi Corral.
There are no detailed studies that make it possible to directly relate the decrease in north wind days to climate change, but Corral points out various data that point in this direction. On the one hand, climate change models suggest that, towards the middle of this century, a situation of subtropicalization and anticyclonic changes is expected for our region, which would produce a significant reduction in winds such as the tramontana.
“We cannot say for sure, but it is possible that this situation has accelerated and we are already in this climatic scenario in which these winds are less common,” explains Sergi Corral.
A study led by Aemet Baleares, with the notable participation of Agustí Jansà (, shows a decrease in the frequency of depressions in the Gulf of Genoa in recent years, which could cause fewer days with north wind in Menorca and Mallorca, Due to the fact that these low pressure situations are an essential element for the north component winds in this Mediterranean area, however, there are no specific studies on the evolution of the north wind in the Balearic Islands.
Agustí Jansà, PhD in Physical Sciences, State meteorologist (retired) and ex-delegate of ka Aemet to the Balearic Islands, explained to La Vanguardia that “it is true that many of us have the impression that the tramontana is decreasing in les Illes, but the data we have do not confirm this, although it is also true that the data is partial and a more specific study would be necessary to draw conclusions”.
At the request of this newspaper, Jansà has reviewed the partial data, publicly accessible, from the Maó airport weather station and the State Ports Boia de Maó. With these partial data it cannot be affirmed that there is a decrease in the tramontana [in this area of ??Menorca], “although a lot of variability is observed”. indicates Agustí Jansà.
