Heavy rain and storms are returning to Andalucía this weekend. Spain's state meteorological agency (Aemet) has issued a yellow alert for heavy rainfall, storms ... and possible hail across the region’s eight provinces from 12 midday.
The warning was raised to red in Almeria – in the areas around the city, Poniente and Levante – where up to 100mm in 12 hours are forecast. In light of this situation, the regional government of Andalucía, represented by minister Antonio Sanz, has activated Level 1 of the pre-emergency phase of the regional emergency plan for flood risk in Andalucía (PERI).
The weather agency has warned that elsewhere in the region rainfall totals of between 15 and 20mm are expected within an hour in many parts.
Also on red alert this Saturday are parts of the regions of Valencia and Catalonia. ES-Alert warnings have been sent to mobile phones in several areas of Catalonia urging the general public to exercise caution and limit their movements.
The agency forecasts that over the weekend there will be “a significant drop in temperatures in Andalucía, in addition to the existing atmospheric instability”. As such, only Seville and Cordoba will see temperatures rise above 30 degrees. Elsewhere, maximum temperatures will range between 24 and 29 degrees on a day characterised by “very cloudy skies with showers and thunderstorms across large areas, locally heavy and most likely in mountainous areas”. Winds in the region will be light and variable, “occasionally moderate from the west on the Atlantic side in the afternoon”.
To blame is Adam - that’s the name given to the first major Dana storm of the season. It is forecast to bring very heavy and persistent downpours to parts of the Mediterranean region and the Balearic Islands.
“Between today and Monday, we’ll have all the necessary ingredients for convective clouds to unleash very heavy downpours, some of which will be torrential: cold air aloft, long-range easterly winds laden with moisture, and a Mediterranean Sea that is still quite warm for this time of year,” explained the specialist website Meteored on Saturday.
Sunday will see more unsettled weather, with rain forecast across the whole region. Once again, Aemet has issued yellow warnings from 6am in all eight provinces due to rainfall and storms: a total of 15mm is expected in one hour, accompanied by hail. In Almeria, the warning will be upgraded to orange from 9pm.
Aemet forecasts “widespread showers and thunderstorms, locally heavy; with a likelihood of them being very heavy and persistent in the far east”. The day will be characterised by “very cloudy skies, tending to clear up somewhat as the afternoon progresses”. Temperatures will fall, with a particularly noticeable drop in maximum temperatures in some areas, and occasionally strong gusts associated with the storms are expected.