Flood warning?!

[MCCanada]

I'm starting the Camino Sept 11 from St. Jean pied de Port, and the rain forecast and flood warning for the region worries me a bit. If you are there, or crossed the pass in the last couple of days, how is/was the weather?

 

[JonnyRosa]

I'm starting the Camino Sept 11 from St. Jean pied de Port, and the rain forecast and flood warning for the region worries me a bit. If you are there, or crossed the pass in the last couple of days, how is/was the weather?

It will be easy. Bom caminho!

September weather forecast for the Camino de Santiago Francés

Get a personal daily weather forecast for the Camino de Santiago Francés for the exact dates you're planning to go. Or browse to pick the best time of year.

caminoweather.com

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

caminoweather.com
/frances/?startLocationId=000&endLocationId=209&unitsId=metric&startDate=2024-09-11&lengthType=stages

The same as above but in linked form:

September weather forecast for the Camino de Santiago Francés

Get a personal daily weather forecast for the Camino de Santiago Francés for the exact dates you're planning to go. Or browse to pick the best time of year.

caminoweather.com

 

[KeyserSoza]

Remember, you are heading up a hill so I would not worry to much about flooding.

 

[Bradypus]

@Monasp has just posted about massive damage to the road up to Somport as a result of heavy rain yesterday. On the SJPDP pilgrim office Facebook page. A substantial section of the road destroyed completely. The video is impressive.

Bureau d'accueil des pèlerins de St Jacques de St Jean Pied de Port | La route du col du Somport après les intempéries de cette nuit | Facebook

La route du col du Somport après les intempéries de cette nuit

www.facebook.com

 

[Kathor1]

Remember, you are heading up a hill so I would not worry to[o] much about flooding.

I checked MeteoBlue for the Bentarte pass (Route Napoleon) today and yesterday.

There are currently "moderate flood warnings" issued by Meteo France. You click on the links provided to inform yourself more accurately and you end up on a map issued by Vigilance France that shows you the rivers in the region Pyrénées Atlantiques that are under observance. Then you make up your mind whether this concerns your walk and whether you have to take any precautions or just be careful and pay attention to further official warnings.

When I checked yesterday there was also a warning for severe rain. That means that a lot of water falls on the ground in a short time. It can cause landslides up on the hill. A video shows the very recent effect on the Camino that goes to the Somport pass which is nearby. See for example videos in the link posted by @Bradypus or in this recent post in another thread. Part of the road that you planned to walk on has disappeared and there is a huge gaping hole. Good thing that you were not on the road or beneath it on the hill when it happened.

No warnings for flooding or severe rainfall have been currently issued by the Spanish AEMET weather service for the southern side of the Pyrenees. However, there have been cases of heavy rainfall in the past where one forum member fell into the icy waters of a creek because he did not see that there was no ground under his foot; he considers himself lucky that other pilgrims were present who pulled him out. Heavy rainfall in the hills turns empty narrow river beds into fast flowing much broader streams of cold water that can cover part of the Camino path.

Reading and understanding weather forecast for the area where one wants to walk is a useful skill.

 

[JustOneGuy]

I'm starting the Camino Sept 11 from St. Jean pied de Port, and the rain forecast and flood warning for the region worries me a bit. If you are there, or crossed the pass in the last couple of days, how is/was the weather?

IN SPAIN, If you have a smartphone with you, also check https://www.aemet.es/es/portada for your "comunidad autonoma". AEMET (Agencia Estatal de Metereologia) issues also the "Avisos de fenomeno meteorologicos adversos" (Warnings of adverse weather events), very useful for people like me that works in the field in Spain.

In English there is also https://meteoalarm.org/en/live/. If is not there, it is unlikely there is any risk.

You can also download the official app: https://www.aemet.es/es/lineas_de_interes/apps

 

[Monasp]

Je commence le Camino le 11 septembre depuis Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, et les prévisions de pluie et d'inondation pour la région m'inquiètent un peu. Si vous êtes là-bas ou avez traversé le col ces derniers jours, quel temps fait-il/était-il

A SJPDP no problem !!!!!

I'm starting the Camino Sept 11 from St. Jean pied de Port, and the rain forecast and flood warning for the region worries me a bit. If you are there, or crossed the pass in the last couple of days, how is/was the weather?

 

[dbeatriceb]

I'm starting the Camino Sept 11 from St. Jean pied de Port, and the rain forecast and flood warning for the region worries me a bit. If you are there, or crossed the pass in the last couple of days, how is/was the weather?

Best to ask in St Jean because the locals will know if there is trouble up on the pass. I am reading comments here about conditions in Somoort, but that is not where you are. I hope the weather clears up and you have a lovely walk. That scenery is beautiful!

 

[JerryStroebele]

Last October my French son in law Julien and I walked from Pau, France on the Chemin d'Arles to Somport Pass and then on the Aragones to Obanos on the Camino Frances. (Then backwards to Saint-Jean Pied-de-Port.) A beautiful walk. I sent him this forum's notifications of the flooding. Here is his response:

Hi, Jerry, Yeah, I read on the news that it's been a pretty damn big storm in the Vallee d'Aspe! I collected a few photos for you from the internet. The highway got literally cut between Urdos and Somport Pass. It's a big hole! They say it might take months to fix it. Also, crazy flooding in Etsaut (a village that we walked through, right after Borce and the Breton creperie), the center of the village is covered with mud and stones. And a small bridge broke in Cette-Eygun. Anyway, obviously I wouldn't walk in that valley for awhile. BUT from what I can see, there are no problems around Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. It's 60 km away from the Vallee d'Aspe as the crow flies, and this storm seems to have been very local. So, in my opinion you could tell this lady on the forum that she should be fine. But yeah, tell anyone else to maybe cancel rhe Oloron-Somport section for this season. If they are thinking about back-up options, they can always, from Oloron, follow the GR78 (the Piemont Way) that gets to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, and then keep going on the Frances.

I would follow Julien's advice. He has walked A LOT in the Pyrenees, including from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, and MANY Caminos in Spain. And my apologies for my inability to properly punctuate French and Spanish names. Buen Camino

 

[Getwood]

I'm starting the Camino Sept 11 from St. Jean pied de Port, and the rain forecast and flood warning for the region worries me a bit. If you are there, or crossed the pass in the last couple of days, how is/was the weather?

I'm starting a day later than you, and yeah, it sounds a bit hairy, but the active weather of concern appears to be a small supercell that did most of its damage about 60km east of where SJPdP is. I'm in the process of finalizing my pack contents (leave for the airport in a few hours), and I'm also concerned about the weather forecast in terms of temperatures — looks surprisingly cool for this time of year (although that's not necessarily a bad thing for strenuous hiking...).

Where did I put my long johns?

 

[MCCanada]

I checked MeteoBlue for the Bentarte pass (Route Napoleon) today and yesterday.

There are currently "moderate flood warnings" issued by Meteo France. You click on the links provided to inform yourself more accurately and you end up on a map issued by Vigilance France that shows you the rivers in the region Pyrénées Atlantiques that are under observance. Then you make up your mind whether this concerns your walk and whether you have to take any precautions or just be careful and pay attention to further official warnings.

When I checked yesterday there was also a warning for severe rain. That means that a lot of water falls on the ground in a short time. It can cause landslides up on the hill. A video shows the very recent effect on the Camino that goes to the Somport pass which is nearby. See for example videos in the link posted by @Bradypus or in this recent post in another thread. Part of the road that you planned to walk on has disappeared and there is a huge gaping hole. Good thing that you were not on the road or beneath it on the hill when it happened.

No warnings for flooding or severe rainfall have been currently issued by the Spanish AEMET weather service for the southern side of the Pyrenees. However, there have been cases of heavy rainfall in the past where one forum member fell into the icy waters of a creek because he did not see that there was no ground under his foot; he considers himself lucky that other pilgrims were present who pulled him out. Heavy rainfall in the hills turns empty narrow river beds into fast flowing much broader streams of cold water that can cover part of the Camino path.

Reading and understanding weather forecast for the area where one wants to walk is a useful skill.

Gosh, I think I’ll do a lot of asking around when I get to SJPDP tomorrow. Thanks for the info!!

 

[JerryStroebele]

The Pilgrims Office in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port should be able to fully inform and advise you. Buen Camino

 

[henrythedog]

It’s a rather unnecessarily alarmist title for a question thread.

If the first two days out of St Jean ever actually flood, the majority of France and Spain will cease to exist.

 

[chinacat]

Gosh, I think I’ll do a lot of asking around when I get to SJPDP tomorrow. Thanks for the info!!

Just take the advice of the wonderfully helpful Pilgrim’s Office in SJPdP for anything and everything.
They are the experts

Buen Camino!
You’ll be fine