The climate in Girona's counties is shifting in two measurable ways, according to the latest annual climate indicators bulletin from Meteocat, the Catalan government's meteorological service. North of Cap de Creus, the number of days with extremely strong tramuntana wind has dropped by between 25 and 28, while the sea surface temperature at l’Estartit has risen by almost 2C over a little more than 50 years.

For residents, fishers, boat users and coastal businesses, the figures matter because they point to long-term changes in wind and sea conditions on the Costa Brava. Meteocat presents the data as part of its monitoring of the climate crisis in Catalonia, using long observation series and official climate records.

What Meteocat says has changed in Girona

The findings come from the Butlletí Anual d’Indicadors Climàtics, Meteocat's annual climate indicators bulletin.

  • North of Cap de Creus, Meteocat records 25 to 28 fewer days of extremely strong tramuntana.
  • At l’Estartit, the sea surface temperature has increased by nearly 2C in just over five decades.
  • The indicators are part of Meteocat's longer-term climate datasets and observed trend analysis.
Meteocat's annual indicators point to fewer episodes of very strong tramuntana in the far north of Cap de Creus and a sustained rise in sea surface temperature at l’Estartit.

The tramuntana is the strong northerly wind closely associated with the Empordà area. Cap de Creus is the eastern headland at the far northeast of Catalonia, and l’Estartit is a coastal town in Baix Empordà known for its marine observation records.

Why these figures matter locally

A fall in days with extremely strong wind does not mean windy conditions have disappeared. It means one of the region's best-known weather extremes is being recorded less often in this part of the coast.

At the same time, warmer sea surface temperatures can affect bathing conditions, marine ecosystems and seasonal coastal activity. Meteocat's published sea temperature series for l’Estartit is one of the reference records used to track observed marine warming in Catalonia.

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Where the data comes from and what to do next

The figures cited here are drawn from Meteocat's official climate bulletins and climate data products, including its annual indicators bulletin and observed sea temperature records. Meteocat is the primary public body responsible for meteorological and climatological monitoring in Catalonia.

Readers who want to follow the latest official updates can consult Meteocat's climate bulletins, annual summaries and data portals, which publish the underlying indicators and longer series. For practical local planning, coastal residents and marine users should continue to monitor Meteocat forecasts and alerts for current conditions, since long-term climate trends do not replace day-to-day weather warnings.

Reported by Servei Meteorològic de Catalunya (Meteocat), L'Empordà.