Many of us remember when the talk in Axarquia village bars was whether the taps would run dry. This October it is a very different story.
Above-average rain for the Axarquia
Rainfall along much of the Axarquia’s coastline, and around La Viñuela reservoir, is already above the historical October average. Aemet, Spain’s state weather agency, confirmed the trend using figures up to Monday, October 19. That puts us three weeks into the “hydrological year”, the water-industry calendar that runs from October 1 to September 30.
Jesus Riesco, Aemet’s territorial director for Malaga province, describes a province running at two speeds. The western Costa del Sol is still below its usual October total, while other areas have had downpours since Friday.
A world away from last year
Cast your mind back to 2025 and the contrast is striking. Every district in Malaga province recorded no rain at all between October 1 and 19 last year.
La Viñuela has collected 23.6 litres per square metre so far this month, equal to 23.6 millimetres of rain. Benamargosa and Comares, two inland Axarquia towns, have recorded far higher totals.
Storm Adam is a DANA, short for “depresión aislada en niveles altos” (isolated depression at high levels). This pocket of cold air high in the atmosphere can unleash torrential downpours. It has brought flooding to other parts of Spain.
Reservoirs far fuller than 12 months ago
Málaga province’s reservoirs currently store 474 cubic hectometres of water, reaching nearly 80 per cent of their total capacity compared to under 284 cubic hectometres this time last year.
Andalucian authorities say the early rain will stop reserves being used up prematurely. It also helps prepare river basins to gather as much runoff as possible from winter storms. Where reservoirs are close to 100%, sluice gates will need opening once heavy rain returns.
From emergency to relief
Those who live here will remember how bleak it looked. By October 2023, the Axarquia had formally entered an emergency situation, with La Viñuela at around 10% of its capacity. Cuts to urban supply and limits on irrigation hit households and the farmers growing mangoes and avocados.
Fortunes have turned dramatically. The Axarquia left its drinking-water restrictions behind in March this year, and by 9 July La Viñuela stood at 90.78% full.
Keep an eye on Aemet’s colour-coded warnings, because heavy bursts can still catch dry riverbeds off guard. Emergency services have long advised against parking beside rivers and streams, even dry ones.
Few sounds are lovelier than rain on terracotta tiles when the reservoirs have been so low for so long.