AEMET issued red alerts for Valencia and Alicante on 17 October, warning that rainfall could exceed 300 litres per square metre in 24 hours. The alerts cover Sunday 18 October and Monday 19 October. València has suspended outdoor activities and closed parks, gardens, cemeteries, tunnels and markets. It also cancelled a concert planned at the Palau de la Música for the 700th anniversary of Corpus.
The Balearic Islands are also at risk. Some areas could receive more than 200 litres per square metre in 12 hours, with rainfall rates reaching 60 litres in one hour. AEMET described the danger as extraordinary, warning of very serious or catastrophic impacts on people and property in exposed areas.
The State Meteorological Agency has issued a red warning for Valencia and Alicante, signalling extreme danger. Orange alerts are in force in Andalucía, the Balearic Islands, Castilla-La Mancha, Catalonia and Murcia. Ceuta and Melilla have yellow alerts.
AEMET describes storm Adam as the first high-impact DANA of the 2026 to 2027 season. It formed when a cold air mass high in the atmosphere broke away from the basic flow over the north of the Iberian Peninsula. The resulting isolated cyclone interacted with low-pressure areas in the southwest, strengthening rainfall across the Mediterranean and Andalucía.
On 17 October, the Generalitat Valenciana’s Emergency Coordination Centre sent two Es-Alert messages to residents in areas facing extreme rain and flooding. One covered the northern coast of Alicante and southern coastal Valencia, where the red alert applied. The other went to parts of Valencia under an orange warning.
Residents were told to avoid non-impressive journeys and stay out of flood-prone areas. They were warned to keep away from riverbeds and ravines, and told to stay off the coast. People in flood-risk areas were advised to move to higher ground or upper floors. Regional president Juanfran Pérez Llorca called for «prudencia y responsabilidad». He urged residents to follow emergency services’ instructions and check official channels for updates.
Local Police warned people in tents in València’s city hall square that rain or wind could damage the structures, putting them and passers-by at risk. Police responses to public events also featured in a separate Pamplona report, which covered a different incident.
Flooding on Saturday had already disrupted daily life. El Ejido, in Almería, recorded more than 60 litres per square metre in an hour, prompting the suspension of municipal activities. Across the Poniente area, 112 Andalucía received more than 100 reports of stranded vehicles and overflowing ramblas. Water also entered shops and ground-floor premises.
Andalucía’s authorities raised the flood emergency plan to the emergency phase, operational situation 1. They sent an Es-Alert telling residents to avoid travel and stay clear of flooded areas. The alert also advised people to keep away from riverbeds and move near higher ground.
In Catalonia, Protección Civil sent alerts warning of heavy rain in Barcelona’s coastal districts, including Barcelonès and Baix Llobregat. Earlier messages covered La Selva and Maresme, as well as Vallès Oriental.
Train services on the R2 Sur have been suspended since 22:00. Regional trains heading south are being diverted via Vilafranca and Barcelona. Disruptions will continue until weather conditions improve and checks confirm the infrastructure is safe to use.
Sunday’s forecast calls for impressive showers and thunderstorms in Catalonia and the southeast during the early hours. Intense rain is then expected in Andalucía and Murcia, with Ceuta and Melilla also in the forecast. Very strong wind gusts are expected in the Balearic Islands and Catalonia. AEMET has also activated alerts in Galicia and the Valencian region.
Maximum temperatures are expected to fall by more than six degrees across the eastern half of the mainland. Minimum temperatures will drop in the central mountains.
On Monday morning, locally torrential and persistent rain is expected around Cabo de la Nao and along the coasts of Murcia and Almería. The Pitiusas are also in the forecast. Rain may spread across the rest of the Balearic Islands, especially Mallorca, where totals could reach 50 millimetres in one hour. Persistent downpours and very strong gusts remain possible.
