Else Beekman
The Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has issued an orange alert for the entire Valencian Community, warning of extreme rainfall on Wednesday. Forecasts predict up to 100 litres of rain per square metre in just 12 hours, signalling potential flooding and disruption across the region.
The Mediterranean coastline, especially in the Valencian Community, is the primary focus of the warnings. In addition to Valencia, the province of Cádiz is also under alert due to coastal phenomena, as the stormy conditions affect southern Spain. The storm, which began affecting the region on Tuesday, has already brought heavy rain to Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and parts of Valencia, leading to localised flooding.
“Mediterranean mode on” as storms hit
Meteored, a popular weather service, captured the essence of the storm with a simple but impactful message on social media: “Mediterranean mode on.” The post highlighted how the storm system is sweeping across the Mediterranean, impacting southern Europe and northern Africa.
The culprit behind these intense conditions is a DANA (an isolated high-altitude depression). This has formed between Algeria and Tunisia. While this DANA won’t directly hit Spain, Meteored explains that it could trigger convective showers and thunderstorms, especially in areas with complex terrain, like the Gulf of Valencia and northern Alicante. The mountainous landscape in these regions is likely to enhance the intensity of rainfall.
Looking ahead: temporary relief on the horizon
While the worst of the storm is expected to ease by Thursday, the situation remains unpredictable. AEMET forecasts a gradual decline in storm activity on Wednesday, but uncertainty surrounds the weekend, with concerns about how the DANA might develop.