SPAIN is braced for a stormy blast tomorrow as a rare August depression brings torrential rain, hail and powerful winds across the country.
Severe thunderstorms, sudden flooding and winds of up to 80km/h are set to batter western Andalucia, Catalunya, Valencia and Spain’s northeast throughout Tuesday, according to weather service Meteored.
The harsh weather, which forecasters described as ‘particularly unusual’ for late August, is being driven by a deep low-pressure system forming to the west of the Iberian Peninsula.
It will draw warm, humid air in at low levels while colder air arrives higher up, creating a volatile mix ripe for powerful thunderstorms.
Some storms could dump more than 20mm of rain in just one hour, forecasters say, while some areas of Aragon, Catalonia and northern Valencia could see more than 60mm in 12 hours.
There are also warnings of large hailstones, violent gusts and sudden downpours capable of triggering flash floods in rivers, streams and ravines.
The storm front will first move in from the west, bringing rain to Galicia and Asturias in Spain’s north before spreading into Castilla y Leon, Extremadura and western Andalucia.
But the eastern half of Spain could see some of the most explosive storms, with the warm Mediterranean providing a major source of moisture.
Aragon, Catalonia and northern Valencia are expected to be among the areas most at risk, with storms potentially becoming particularly intense.
National weather service AEMET has highlighted the risk of heavy and persistent rain in the north-west, alongside very strong gusts across Galicia, the central plateau and mountainous areas of northern Spain.
Some gusts could reach 70-80km/h, particularly in western Castilla y Leon.
The unsettled conditions are expected to ease late in the day as the depression weakens, although forecasters warn the atmospheric instability will not disappear completely.
Further Atlantic disturbances could hit Spain during the final days of August, meaning more storms could be on the way before the month is out.
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