Walter Finch
A RED alert has been issued for the southern coast of Tarragona today as violent storms sweep across the Valencia region and Catalonia.
Spain’s national weather service AEMET has warned of torrential downpours with up to 90mm of rain expected in just one hour between 3pm and 9pm on Monday.
Officials caution that flash flooding and sudden river rises are highly likely, urging residents and visitors to take extreme care.
Humidity has already reached oppressive levels across much of Spain, adding to what locals describe as ‘horrendously muggy’ conditions.
READ MORE: Happy birthday for Monday, Letizia, Queen of Spain
The alert comes as a cold air mass pushes in from the northwest, combining with Mediterranean humidity to create towering storm clouds capable of dumping huge amounts of rain in short bursts.
Forecasters say the worst-hit areas could be the south of Catalonia and the north of Castellon, where 150–200mm of rain may fall in under 12 hours. In some cases, 60mm could come down in less than 60 minutes.
The Valencia region is also in the firing line, with the Costa Blanca and popular tourist hotspots along the coast warned to expect heavy downpours.
Parts of southern Valencia and Alicante could see 40–60mm of rainfall, raising the risk of localised flooding.
Storm activity is also expected across the Balearic Islands, where the rain will be more irregular but still intense at times.
The worst of the weather may stay out at sea, but coastal towns could still face sudden cloudbursts and dangerous driving conditions.
Across much of the Mediterranean coast, humidity is already suffocatingly high, adding to the oppressive atmosphere before the storms hit. Weather forecasters say this is just the start of two highly active days of severe weather.
Elsewhere in Spain, Galicia and the Cantabrian coast are also braced for heavy rainfall throughout the week. However, conditions should ease from Thursday as a high-pressure system settles in, bringing calmer skies and more seasonal September weather.
READ MORE: Woman commits suicide in Spain’s Catalunya after having to wait 48 hours to be seen in A&E
Temperatures are set to drop sharply as the storms arrive. Maximums across much of Spain will hover closer to 25C than 30C, a relief after the weekend heat.
Nights will feel fresher in many regions, though coastal cities such as Valencia and Murcia will remain muggy, with “tropical” lows above 20C and even “equatorial” nights above 25C.
By the weekend, the mercury is expected to rise again in the south, with the Guadalquivir valley likely to see temperatures nudging 30C.
Click here to read more Weather News from The Olive Press.
