A new DANA (Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos) is bringing significant weather disruptions across Spain, putting ten autonomous communities on alert for heavy rains, thunderstorms, and strong coastal winds.
The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has issued warnings for potentially severe weather, particularly in regions including Aragón, Catalonia, Valencia, Murcia, and the Balearic Islands.
Specific alerts and affected areas
Several regions are expected to experience intense weather conditions. AEMET has issued rain and storm warnings for Almería, Albacete, Alicante, Castellón, Valencia, Lleida, and Tarragona. Additionally, orange-level warnings for rain and storms have been announced for Ibiza, Formentera, Mallorca, Menorca, Barcelona, and Girona. Specific warnings for rain are also in place for Huesca, parts of Navarra, and Guipúzcoa.
Meanwhile, alerts for wind and coastal phenomena are active in Gran Canaria, La Palma, and Tenerife. La Gomera will face wind warnings, while El Hierro, Ibiza, Formentera, Mallorca, Menorca, and Girona are under coastal alerts.
Temperature drops and weather patterns
The arrival of the DANA is expected to cause a widespread drop in temperatures across the peninsula, particularly in the east. Notably, in the western regions, temperatures will rise, with highs expected to exceed 36ºC in parts of the southern third of the country. The hottest areas are predicted to be Córdoba and Sevilla at 37ºC, followed by Badajoz at 36ºC, and Ciudad Real, Granada, and Málaga at 35ºC.
AEMET forecasts that a cold trough will pass over the peninsula, evolving into a DANA over the Mediterranean, bringing instability to the eastern regions and the Balearic Islands. This will likely result in localised strong or very strong storms, occasionally accompanied by hail. For Thursday AEMET issued a red warning (maximum risk) for heavy rainfall for the northern part of Mallorca.
These storms may also affect other central and southeastern regions, although less intensely. Meanwhile, cloudy skies with the possibility of light, scattered showers will predominate in the north of Galicia and the Cantabrian area, with heavier, persistent rainfall expected in Navarra and nearby regions.
Impact and additional weather warnings
For the rest of the peninsula, mostly clear skies are expected, with some cloud development in Castilla y León and Castilla-La Mancha, as well as in the eastern third of the country. The Canary Islands will see partly cloudy conditions in the north and clear skies elsewhere, with possible morning fog in the far north and Baleares. Light dust haze may occur in Menorca and, as it clears, in the Canary Islands.
Additionally, AEMET anticipates northwesterly winds in Ampurdán, the middle-lower Ebro valley, and the Balearic Islands, with intervals of strong gusts and occasionally variable directions. Winds will shift from north to northeast in the Cantabrian region and the Meseta, with westerlies expected in the Strait of Gibraltar and the Alborán Sea. The Canary Islands will experience trade winds with strong intervals and very strong gusts.
Heavy rain in Denia and Javea
In addition to the severe weather alerts issued by AEMET, the recent DANA has brought both heavy rainfall and wildfires to the northern Costa Blanca region. In particular, the Marina Alta area, including Dénia and Jávea, experienced significant flooding, turning streets into temporary rivers and leading to the rescue of stranded individuals in the Montgò nature reserve. On Wednesday, over 40 litres of rain per square metre were recorded, adding some much-needed relief to the drought-stricken region.
☂️ El temporal deja 41,1 litros por metro cuadrado durante la noche en Dénia
➡️ La lluvia podría llegar a la capital esta tardehttps://t.co/IUNVDKg44m
— COPE Alicante (@COPEAlicante) August 14, 2024
However, the storm also caused two wildfires, likely triggered by lightning, in Castell de Castells and Benigembla. Firefighters managed to control the blazes, though challenging terrain made the efforts difficult. Moreover, the DANA caused significant damage in other areas, such as the collapse of a supermarket roof in Ontinyent due to intense storms and hail.