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WEATHER

IN IMAGES: Extreme storms batter eastern Spain

Violent storms have caused travel chaos in the Balearics, 8,000 lighting strikes in Catalonia and the collapse of a Valencia supermarket’s roof as hail, strong winds and heavy rain put 10 regions on alert in Spain on Wednesday.

Published: 14 August 2024 16:50 CEST
IN IMAGES: Extreme storms batter eastern Spain
The stormy weather is mainly affecting Spain's eastern coast. (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP)

A drop in temperatures and some rainfall may have seemed like a welcome break from the heat that’s been stifling Spain for the past month, but this change of weather has gone from one extreme to the other. 

It’s a meteorological phenomenon that’s called a DANA in Spanish, a period of heavy rain, stormy weather and a sudden drop in temperatures. 

Eastern Spain is by far the area that’s been most affected on Tuesday and Wednesday. Yellow weather alerts have been issued for Almería, Albacete, Alicante, Castellón, Valencia, Lleida and Tarragona.

Orange warnings for storms have also been issued for all four Balearic Islands (Ibiza, Formentera, Mallorca and Menorca) Barcelona and Girona. Other areas on alert for rain are Huesca, Navarra and Guipúzcoa in the Basque Country.

In the Valencian town of Ontiyent, heavy rainfall caused the roof of a supermarket to collapse, with footage showing gallons of water pouring into the establishment. Around 300 people had to be evacuated.

Palma airport on the island of Mallorca experienced numerous flight delays and at least 40 cancellations on Wednesday due to the bad weather.

In neighbouring Formentera, footage has been captured showing how the stormy weather pushed sailboats towards the rocks. Nine people have been injured and one person is missing. Spanish weather agency Aemet has since raised the weather alert warning to red on the small Balearic island.

More than 8,000 lighting bolts have been recorded in Catalonia since the stormy weather began on Tuesday. Strong winds are expected to cause two-metre waves in the region and boats have been seriously damaged.

Lighting also caused wildfires in Castellón in the Valencia region and in Manacor on Mallorca.

In Pamplona further inland, firefighters had to rescue three people who were trapped inside their vehicle during flash floods.

The storms have coincided with a period of increased travel across Spain as August 15th is a public holiday in the country. 

Aemet and Spain’s Civil Protection Unit have warned drivers who are set to hit the motorways to watch out for hailstorms which are forecast, and as much as 100 litres of rainfall per square metre in some areas.

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WEATHER

Northern Spain braces for abnormally high spring tides

Spain’s northern regions, particularly Galicia and the Basque Country, are due to experience some of the highest spring tides in the past 19 years, causing gigantic waves, flooding and possible destruction to coastal structures.

Published: 19 September 2024 09:06 CEST
Northern Spain braces for abnormally high spring tides

Despite the name, spring tides occur throughout the year when the Moon is either new or full and when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are aligned and there is the greatest difference between high and low tide.

In Spanish they’re known as mareas vivas and occur here more frequently in September and March.

But on this occasion other factors have been added into the mix that will make these tides exceptionally high, even up to half a metre more than in previous years. And the same will happen with low tide, which will be abnormally low.

These factors include if the moon is closer than usual to the Earth or if it is above the Earth’s equator.

The climax of these conditions will be reached this Wednesday September 18th, coinciding with the full Moon, but the main impact of this won’t be felt until Thursday.

The phenomena is expected last at least until Friday and will rise the tides on practically the entire northern coast, with waves in some areas reaching a height of five metres.

The Marine and Food Research Center of the Basque Country (AZTI) has reported that this week, between this Tuesday and Friday, “exceptionally high” spring tides will be recorded in the Bay of Biscay, which will coincide, depending on the days, between 5 and 8pm.

The Basque towns of Zarautz, Pasaia and Irun have been put on yellow alert and could even experience waves close to five metres.

In Galicia, in the next couple of days, they could even experience the highest spring tides in the past 19 years.

The maximum predicted record will be reached in the Foz estuary in Galicia on Thursday September 19th around 6pm, when the high tide will reach a height of 4.6 metres.

In Ferrol and A Coruña, other strategic points on the Galician coast, it will be 4.4 metres, while in the estuaries of the Costa da Morte it will reach 4.3 metres, and in those of Vigo and Pontevedra waves will be an estimated at 4.2 metres.

Regions along the Cantabrian Sea such as Cantabria and Asturias will also be affected with bigger waves and higher tides than normal. While reports haven’t indicated predictions as high as the waves in Galicia and the Basque Country, people there still need to be on the lookout for high tides in the late afternoon and evening of Thursday.

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