Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): La tormenta podría llegar en la tarde, según el pronóstico. - The storm might arrive in the afternoon, according to the forecast.

Podría is the conditional form of poder and expresses a possibility rather than a certainty. By saying “podría llegar,” the speaker indicates that the storm might arrive but it’s not guaranteed. If you used llegará (“the storm will arrive”), you’d be stating it as a fact or a very likely event.

What is the difference between en la tarde and por la tarde?

Both phrases mean “in the afternoon,” but usage varies by region:

In most of Latin America, en la tarde is perfectly natural.
In Spain, you’ll more often hear por la tarde.
Functionally they’re interchangeable, though por la tarde can sometimes sound a bit more general (“sometime in the afternoon”) while en la tarde may feel slightly more specific or scheduled.

Why is there a comma before según el pronóstico?

The comma sets off según el pronóstico as a parenthetical or adverbial phrase meaning “according to the forecast.” It’s similar to how you might add “according to [someone]” at the end of an English sentence, e.g. “The storm could arrive this afternoon, according to the forecast.”

What part of speech is según, and how does it work here?

Según is a preposition meaning “according to.” It introduces the source of information—in this case, el pronóstico (“the forecast”). Prepositions in Spanish don’t change form, so it stays según regardless of the noun that follows.

Can I say “la tormenta podría llegar esta tarde” instead?

Yes. Esta tarde means “this afternoon” (more specific), while en la tarde is more general (“sometime in the afternoon”). Using esta tarde emphasizes the current or upcoming afternoon. Both are grammatically correct; you’re just shifting from a general time frame to a particular one.

Could según el pronóstico appear at the beginning of the sentence?

Absolutely. You can say:
“Según el pronóstico, la tormenta podría llegar en la tarde.”
Moving the phrase to the front emphasizes that the entire statement is based on the forecast.

Why is tormenta feminine? Are all weather phenomena feminine?

Tormenta ends in -a, which typically marks feminine nouns in Spanish. Many weather terms are feminine (e.g., la lluvia, la nieve), but not all: el huracán (masculine) or el granizo (masculine). Gender in Spanish is mostly lexical—you learn it with each noun, though endings often give you hints.

Is podría llegar the only way to express possibility?

No, there are several options:

Puede que llegue en la tarde. (using puede que
- subjunctive)
Probablemente llegará en la tarde. (using probablemente
- future)
Tal vez llegue en la tarde. (using tal vez
- subjunctive)
  Each one shifts the nuance slightly, but all communicate that the storm’s arrival in the afternoon is not certain.