Meteocat has placed 17 Catalan counties under its highest rain alert, with up to 40 litres per square metre forecast in 30 minutes. The warning is due to reach 20 counties on Sunday as flood risks grow and officials discourage unnecessary travel.
A 102-year-old woman died after flooding in Madrigueras, Albacete. Several people were hospitalised after a bar roof collapsed in San Vicente de la Sonsierra, Logroño. Catalonia is now under its highest red warning for intense rain and water accumulation across 17 counties. The alert is expected to reach 20 counties on Sunday.
The current warning covers Alt and Baix Empordà, Pla de l’Estany, Garrotxa, Gironès, Selva, Maresme, Vallès Oriental and Occidental, Barcelonès, Baix Llobregat, Garraf, Alt Penedès, Baix Penedès, Alt Camp, Tarragonès and Baix Camp.
Meteocat’s forecasts include rainfall rates of up to 40 litres per square metre in 30 minutes; in the most adverse areas, accumulations could reach 90 litres per square metre in three hours, with locally higher totals possible.
The most exposed areas run from Girona along the Barcelona coast and into Tarragona. Meteocat has rated the danger at six out of six. Residents have been told to take preventive measures and avoid unnecessary travel. Ara and Barcelona Press describe the warning as covering both torrential rain and dangerous water accumulation.
Conditions are expected to worsen overnight and during the first hours of Sunday. Moianès, Osona and Ripollès are then due to join the red-alert area. The total will reach 20 counties.
The reason is simple. This warning covers rainfall intensity and accumulated water, not just a short shower. Roads and low-lying areas are the main immediate concern for authorities. Residents are being urged to limit movement unless a journey is strictly necessary.
AEMET has also strengthened warnings for Catalonia and neighbouring regions, with heavy showers and thunderstorms expected across several parts of Spain. Reports also mention the possible use of ES-Alert in affected areas, reflecting concern about sudden flooding and rapidly worsening conditions.
Unsettled weather is also expected across the peninsula and the Balearic Islands. AEMET forecasts strong showers and storms in several regions, including the Valencian coast and Tarragona, the Sierra de Gredos and Aragón. Rain is expected to continue until Monday.
Temperatures should fall in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and inland parts of the peninsula. They are expected to rise in Asturias and Lugo. Southern Andalucía is expected to exceed 30 degrees. External reports also refer to yellow and orange warnings across large parts of the peninsula.
For residents tracking the storm, an earlier storm report focused on flooded routes and the need to avoid places where water can collect. The present warning covers a wider section of the Catalan coast. It is scheduled to expand on Sunday.
The incidents elsewhere show why the alerts call for practical caution. Flooding preceded the death in Madrigueras. The bar roof collapse in San Vicente de la Sonsierra caused injuries that required hospital treatment. Neither event changes the Catalan forecast. Both show the damage already linked to the wider storm.
Meteocat’s six-out-of-six danger rating and the planned increase from 17 to 20 counties leave little room for casual travel decisions. Follow the preventive guidance. Avoid unnecessary journeys. Treat the overnight period as the most hazardous phase. This warning is serious.
