Weather: Aemet issues a special warning due to abundant and widespread rains that can be torrential in the Mediterranean | Spain

The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) issued a special notice this Sunday for this Monday, the day on which “an autumn episode of widespread rains in the Peninsula and the Balearic Islands begins, which will be more abundant on the Mediterranean slope,” explains Rubén Del Campo, spokesperson for the agency. Thus, in the east of the Peninsula, rainfall “may reach very strong and even torrential intensity”, that is, more than 60 liters per square meter in just one hour, in addition to being persistent and accompanied by very strong gusts of wind. During the rainy season, which may last until Saturday, temperatures will be at values ​​typical for this time of year “or slightly higher.” after a weekend that has been cold.

The meteorological situation that causes this episode is marked by the conjunction of several factors. On the one hand, there is a dana (an isolated depression at high levels of the Atmosphere), which It already rained over the weekend and which will be located starting this Monday over the Gulf of Cádiz, where it will remain almost stationary for much of the week. “This location favors the instability of the atmosphere over the Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, but in addition a storm will form in the southern area of ​​the Peninsula, which will favor the arrival of easterly winds to the Mediterranean coast,” explains Del Campo. These winds “will travel great distances over a Mediterranean Sea that is warmer than normal for this time of year and this will result in these winds arriving very loaded with humidity to the Spanish Mediterranean coast.”

“The interaction of the dana with these very humid winds will result in the formation of storms with very strong, persistent and even torrential showers as we say in the Mediterranean area,” concludes the expert, to admit that “in this type of situation it is complicated “estimate in which areas the most abundant rains will be recorded.” The agency considers it possible that this Monday “be the south of Catalonia and the north of the Valencian Communityas well as the surroundings of the Strait, the areas that register the highest rainfall.” In the afternoon, “precipitation will also be intense in the extreme east of Andalusia, in Murcia and in the southeast of Castilla-La Mancha,” adds the meteorologist.

On the warning map, seven communities and Ceuta and Melilla are on alertwhich is orange, the second level of a scale of three, in Andalusia, Catalonia, the Valencian Community, Murcia and Ceuta. On the other hand, it is yellow, the lowest level, in Aragón, the Balearic Islands, Castilla-La Mancha and Melilla.

On Tuesday, which “may be the most adverse of the episode,” “the entire Mediterranean arc will be greatly affected, from the south of the province of Tarragona to practically the Strait of Gibraltar,” where “rains will be abundant, especially in the Valencian Community and in the Region of Murcia, where in some points 150 liters per square meter could be exceeded in less than 24 hours.”

This is an enormous amount of rain in a short period of time, which is “synonymous with the possibility of significant flooding in boulevards and ravines that usually flow with very little water or are dry, and flooding can also occur in low-lying areas.” warns Del Campo.

On Tuesday there may also be intense showers in the center and in the rest of the south of the peninsula, “although they will not reach the virulence of those expected in the Mediterranean.” Regarding the notices, There will be seven communities alerted, of which only the Valencian Community It has an orange warning. It is yellow in Andalusia, Aragon, the Balearic Islands, Castilla-La Mancha, Catalonia and Murcia.

As of Wednesday, “uncertainty in the forecast increases significantly, as is usual with this type of situation.” As of today, “the north of the Valencian Community and the south of Catalonia, as well as the south of Andalusia, would be the areas with the greatest probability of very heavy rains.” This day, There are notices, all yellow, in Aragon, Catalonia and the Valencian Community.

It is possible that on Thursday the rains “will move towards the southwest of the peninsula and the Balearic Islands and the peninsular Mediterranean could be somewhat left out, but this extreme will have to be confirmed,” concludes Del Campo. Aemet estimates that the situation will last until Saturday.

In addition to the rains, the other adverse element will be the easterly winds, which “will blow with intensity in the Mediterranean area, causing poor sea conditions in that area.” Temperatures “will generally remain at values ​​typical of this time of year, or slightly higher,” while snowfall will occur at high altitudes, especially in the Sierra Nevada. The Canary Islands will be left out of the situationalthough “weak rains will occur in the north of the archipelago.”