Sant Jordi recorded 69 litres of rain per square metre as intense downpours flooded streets and disrupted transport on Ibiza. The storm, linked to DANA Adam, brought heavy rain and thunderstorms to Ibiza and Formentera; forecasts called for up to 130 litres per square metre in five hours in some areas, with island-wide totals potentially reaching 160mm in 12 hours and more than 300mm over 24 hours. Five flights were diverted shortly after 10am, and arrivals from London and Palma were cancelled. Road access to Ibiza airport was cut in both directions near the tunnels at Platja d'en Bossa, while the AEMET red warning was due to remain in force until 2pm.
The diverted flights were coming from Bristol and Brussels. Others were arriving from Berlin and Eindhoven, while the fifth came from Madrid.
The Consell de Ibiza announced the airport road closure at 10.38am, saying flooding had made the stretch near the tunnels at Platja d'en Bossa impassable. The road is regularly affected by heavy rainfall.
In Ibiza city, the Ayuntamiento reported intermittent closures on the first ring road near Can Misses. Traffic was also stopped at the Podencos roundabout and on Avenida Santa Eulària. Flooding affected Sant Jordi, Platja d'en Bossa and basic Ibiza. Residents were asked to avoid unnecessary journeys and lead carefully if travel was impressive.
Rainfall totals had also reached 61 litres per square metre in Ibiza city and 63 in Sant Rafel. By the end of the day, AEMET stations had recorded 117.3 litres per square metre at Es Codolar airport and 117.8 on Formentera. On the morning of 18 October, AEMET raised the warning for Ibiza and Formentera from orange to red, citing the possibility of 90 litres per square metre in one hour between 10am and 1.59pm. The red warning was due to end at 2pm. An orange warning for rain and thunderstorms was expected to continue until 2pm on 19 October, alongside a warning for coastal conditions.
At 11.21am, Protección Civil sent an ES-Alert to mobile phones on Ibiza and Formentera, warning of an immediate risk of flooding. A second alert, sent at 11.46am, called for outdoor sports events to be suspended and social and cultural events to stop. Residents were advised to stay away from flood-prone areas and waterways and avoid unnecessary journeys.
The Govern sent a public alert about the heavy precipitation, while AEMET kept its red warning in force until 2pm. The Meteobal technical advisory committee was due to assess the situation and the level of emergency readiness that day. The wider weather system also affected Valencia and Alicante.
