Lorraine Williamson
After a calmer weekend, attention is turning back to the Gulf of Cádiz, where forecasters are watching a new low-pressure system that could bring a fresh change in the weather next week. Local reporting in Cádiz says strong Levante winds and rougher sea conditions are expected to arrive first, with rain risk increasing from late Monday, 16 March, into midweek.
The next available storm name on AEMET’s list for the 2025–26 season is Samuel. But there is an important caveat: AEMET names storms only when they are expected to trigger orange or red warnings for wind, rain, or snow, and I have not found an official naming notice yet for this system.
Why Cádiz is being watched closely
According to Diario de Cádiz, the weather shift is likely to begin with Levante winds and coastal effects, before the rain becomes the bigger issue later in the week. The same reporting says the new low is expected to sit in or near the Gulf of Cádiz around the middle of the week, which is why the province is again being watched so closely.
That does not automatically mean another major storm event on the scale of the wettest recent episodes. But it does point to a more unsettled pattern returning after the weekend break. This is an inference based on current local forecasting reports and AEMET’s storm-naming criteria.
Is Samuel already an official storm?
Not at this stage, based on the sources I checked. AEMET’s current season list shows Samuel as the next available name after Regina, but listing a name is not the same as activating it. A storm only receives that name if it meets the impact threshold used by the southwest European naming group.
So for now, the accurate wording is that the incoming system could become Samuel if forecasts strengthen enough and official warnings justify it.
What people in Cádiz should expect first
The most immediate issue appears to be wind, not heavy rain. Diario de Cádiz says the first notable change is likely to be a spell of strong Levante, with sea conditions also worsening before the rainfall risk increases.
That matters in Cádiz because wind can disrupt daily life well before any major downpour arrives. Ferry crossings, coastal activities, beach conditions and even routine journeys can all feel the effect when Levante picks up. This is a general practical inference from the forecast pattern rather than a specific official warning.
The key point for readers right now
This is a watch story, not a red-alert story. There is enough movement in the forecasts to justify keeping an eye on the Gulf of Cádiz over the next 48 hours, but not enough official confirmation yet to say that Storm Samuel has definitely been named or that severe warnings are already in force.
For readers in Cádiz and across western Andalucía, the practical takeaway is simple: enjoy the calmer conditions while they last, but keep checking updates as Monday turns into Tuesday and the midweek picture becomes clearer.
Why this may become one to follow
AEMET’s current naming list has only a few names left for the season, with Samuel, Therese, Vitor, and Wilma still available after an unusually active run of systems. That alone does not prove the next low will be named, but it underlines how busy this weather season has already been.
If the forecast intensifies and official warnings rise, this could quickly become one of the main Spain weather stories of the coming week.
AEMET is running low on storm names after one of Spain’s busiest seasons