A glance at Barcelona's sky
The weather of the city through images taken from the Fabra Observatory.
From about 400 metres above our heads, the Fabra Observatory has been collecting data on the meteorology, astronomy and seismic activity of Barcelona for more than 100 years. Its privileged location, with panoramic views that cover the whole city, captures as well the Maresme and Baix Llobregat coasts. Alfons Puertas, meteorologist at the Fabra Observatory, makes sure to scan the sky on a daily basis and shares on his Twitter, Flickr and Instagram profiles surprising images of the phenomena that occur in Barcelona's atmosphere.
Mist on the coast, low clouds sliding down on Collserola, solar halos, imposing cumulonimbus, rainbows, sunrays falling on the Eixample, sunrises, sunsets, big storms... Throughout the year a great variety of meteorological phenomena occur, but from the city many of them escape our gaze. The surrounding buildings and the time we spend indoors, especially during confinement, hide many of these events from us, but we’re now allowed to enjoy them thanks to images such as those from Alfons Puertas.
His snapshots and some videos allow us to discover an enormous diversity of clouds and how their presence transforms the light, the colours and the physiognomy of the sky, as if it were a photographic filter. His testimony highlights the beauty of nature and shows its strength in episodes such as the short but intense summer storms or the extraordinary swell caused by the storm Gloria, also visible from Collserola. Even the absence of clouds provides fascinating images. On the clearest and most transparent days, for example, the Tramuntana mountain range on the island of Mallorca can be seen from the Observatory.
A collection of images accompanied by informative comments that invite you to broaden your knowledge and awaken your passion for meteorology and nature. Enjoy them on Twitter, Flickr and Instagram.