Sirens sounded across Catalonia on Saturday as a rare maximum-level weather alert prompted a travel ban from 18:00. Forecasters warned that more than 200 liters of rain per square meter could fall, threatening flooding in Tarragona, Barcelona and Girona. Marine tornadoes and violent winds were also forecast.
Emergency alerts reached mobile phones before sunset. Civil Protection called it an “exceptional episode,” and residents were told to stay put and follow strict safety rules. The ban on movement and all activities was set to last until 14:00 Sunday. It covers the coastal and pre-coastal zones of the three basic provinces, as well as Osona and Moianès. Basic roads and entry points closed early as the storm front moved in.
President Salvador Illa described the storm as a “mini-hurricane” and warned, “This is no joke.” Meteocat meteorologists said marine waterspouts and tornadoes were possible, along with damaging winds. The central Catalan coast faced the greatest risk, with up to 40 millimeters of rain forecast in just 30 minutes and 90 millimeters possible in some areas over three hours. Totals could reach 200 millimeters in 24 hours.
The danger extended beyond Catalonia. Eleven autonomous communities across Spain faced weather warnings. Asturias was on orange alert, as were Cantabria and Madrid. Yellow alerts covered the Basque Country and Andalusia, along with Baleares, Castilla y León, Extremadura, Galicia and Castilla-La Mancha. In Madrigueras, Castilla-La Mancha, a flash flood dumped more than 140 liters per square meter. The regional government requested disaster-zone status after a woman died and 90 people needed rescue. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez spoke of “grave damage” from the relentless rain across Spain.
Hydrological agencies warned of surges in ravines and small rivers, especially in the Ebro basin. The risk was expected to last into early Sunday. Valencia and Tarragona also prepared for heavy storms and high rainfall.
Catalonia has faced dangerous rain before. Civil Protection has previously sent ES-Alerts for heavy rain in Tarragona. Meteocat has raised alerts several times since September 30 amid a prolonged cycle of severe weather in Catalonia and a worsening trend of heavy rainfall and related risks. This time, the scale is bigger, and the travel restrictions are unprecedented.
Infrastructure and emergency crews are under strain as Catalonia’s cities and residents face the storm. The blanket mobility ban is a first for Spain’s response to extreme weather, reflecting how unpredictable the climate has become. With lives and property at risk, officials are taking no chances.
