In the aftermath of the devastating DANA that struck Valencia, a young and unconventional meteorologist, Jorge Rey, has offered a sobering perspective on how nature tried to warn us. Rey, known for his use of traditional weather prediction methods, spent recent weeks helping the most affected residents of the region.
The meteorologist from Burgos shared his observations on social media. He documented his experiences while assisting those hit hardest by the catastrophic rains.
Warnings in the animal kingdom
According to Rey, the key to understanding the early signs of extreme weather often lies in observing nature itself. In a recent YouTube video, he explained how animals had sensed changes in the environment long before the storm arrived. “The animals noticed a shift,” he said, pointing out the behaviour of various species weeks before the torrential rains devastated parts of the Valencian coast.
Notably, he mentioned the unusual activity among fish in the Albufera, an area that faced significant ecological damage. In early October, a local fisherman was startled when hundreds of fish began leaping into his boat. This event is now referred to as the “rain of fish”. This bizarre occurrence, resulting in over 700 kilograms of fish collected, seems to have been linked to atmospheric changes. Rey suggested that the fish might have been reacting to pressure shifts or other natural indicators, phenomena that are often ignored until it is too late.
@eltiempoa3n 🐟 🐟 Un pescador se ha llevado una sorpresa al ser sorprendido por una ‘lluvia’ de peces en la #Albufera de #Valencia ➡️ Logró capturar 700 kilos en un tiempo récord 📲 Consulta todos los contenidos en la web de #TuTiempo #Meteo #Previsión #Antena3Noticias #NoticiasTikTok
Nature’s clues ignored
Rey stressed the importance of listening to these natural signals. He noted that similar events occurred in Málaga. There, thousands of sardines were seen leaping onto the shore just days before extreme weather hit. “These aren’t isolated cases,” Rey explained, reminding viewers of past events like the volcanic eruption in La Palma, when fishermen reported the sudden disappearance of marine species just prior to the eruption.
For Rey, these examples highlight a crucial aspect of meteorology that is often neglected—the role of nature as an early-warning system. “We had warnings, but we didn’t see them,” he lamented. He urged greater attention to natural anomalies, especially in sensitive areas like the Albufera of Valencia, which has now been declared an ecological disaster zone that will take years to recover. His message is clear: the signs were there, we just weren’t paying attention.
@abcsevilla 🐟 Un suceso curioso y desconcertante ha ocurrido en el espigón de La Térmica, Málaga, donde un gran banco de sardinas quedó varado en la orilla, sorprendiendo a pescadores y testigos. Este comportamiento inusual ha generado alarma, especialmente tras un incidente similar con lisas en la Albufera de Valencia. 📍 Sigue leyendo en nuestra web #málagahoy #LaTérmica #pesca #sardinas #catastrofesnaturales