Lorraine Williamson
Spain’s brief lull has ended. Storm Regina is pushing in fresh Atlantic instability, starting with the Canary Islands and then spreading across the south and the Mediterranean side of the mainland — with mud rain a real possibility where Saharan dust mixes into the downpours.
AEMET lists Regina as the 17th named system of the 2025–26 season.
First stop: the Canaries, with wind, downpours, and rough seas
On Monday, Regina’s core impact is being felt in the archipelago, especially the western islands, with heavy showers, strong gusts, and a notable sea swell. Snow is also possible at higher altitudes.
The key message for the islands is pace. Conditions can swing quickly, and coastal areas may feel the worst of it first.
Then the punchline: southern and eastern Spain take the soaking
As the system shifts east and south, AEMET expects the wettest and most disruptive spell to settle over Andalucia and the Mediterranean side, with bursts of intense rain, thunderstorms, and even hail in places.
The sea state is part of the story, too. AEMET-linked reports warn of 3–4 metre waves along the Andalucian coast, with larger swells possible around the Canaries.
Why you may wake up to find your car brown
Regina is also strengthening an inflow of Saharan dust, which can turn ordinary rain into the infamous lluvia de barro — mud rain — especially across the southeast, the Mediterranean coast, and the Balearics.
It’s not just cosmetic. Mud rain can worsen visibility, make roads greasy, and leave a film on windscreens just when you most need a clear view.
Coastal alerts already rolling in
Parts of Murcia were placed under a yellow alert for coastal phenomena and strong winds, with forecasts including gusts and waves that can reach around three metres in exposed areas.
If you’re near the sea, it’s the classic trap: the weather looks dramatic, so people go to watch it. That’s when slips, rogue waves, and flooded promenades become a problem.
Practical precautions that matter
If you’re in a warning area, the safest habits are boring ones:
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Don’t drive through flooded underpasses or rambla crossings.
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Avoid parking in dry riverbeds and low-lying streets.
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Keep back from breakwaters, sea walls, and rock platforms during swell.
The week ahead, in plain terms
Regina isn’t being framed as a once-in-a-decade monster storm. But it is the kind of multi-day system that creates trouble through repetition: repeated downpours, repeated rough seas, repeated calima pulses — and the small incidents add up.