Eastern Spain faces another unsettled weekend as storms, strong winds and Saharan dust converge, bringing hazardous conditions and muddy rain to several regions. The calima, a mass of suspended mineral dust from North Africa, is intensifying and spreading, with yellow wind alerts and hazy skies from Valencia to Andalusia. When falling rain catches dust particles, it can leave reddish-brown deposits on cars and other surfaces, a phenomenon commonly known as “blood rain.”
After a week of afternoon storms and sudden gusts, the situation remains volatile. Storms are expected to be less intense than in previous days, but authorities have kept weather warnings in place. On Friday, thunderstorms are likely over the Pyrenees and the southeastern interior, particularly in the Comunidad Valenciana, Murcia, Albacete and eastern Andalusia. The Spanish meteorological agency, AEMET, has issued yellow alerts for strong wind gusts in Valencia, Albacete and Murcia, where storms could also bring hail. AEMET’s warning system uses yellow, orange and red alerts to indicate rising levels of weather risk.
Rainfall will persist in Galicia and along the Cantabrian coast, though showers are expected to remain light and ease by the afternoon. Weak precipitation is forecast to continue across the Cantabrian regions over the weekend, while afternoon storm cells are expected to form again, mainly in the same eastern and southeastern areas.
Saturday brings a renewed risk of stormy downpours in the Pyrenees, Teruel, the interior of Castellón, Valencia, Alicante, Albacete and inland Murcia. Yellow warnings for wind and hail remain in effect for Valencia, Albacete and Murcia. Sunday is expected to bring a similar pattern, with new storm clusters likely in the interior of the Comunidad Valenciana, Murcia, southeastern Castilla-La Mancha and eastern Andalusia. During an October episode associated with DANA Adam, AEMET warned that persistent, locally torrential rain could quickly raise streams and ramblas, particularly in areas where earlier rainfall had saturated the soil.
The calima is expected to worsen, with dust-laden skies persisting over Mediterranean regions. Over the weekend, haze will be visible in Catalonia, Comunidad Valenciana, Murcia, eastern Castilla-La Mancha, much of Andalusia, Ceuta, Melilla and the Balearic Islands. Rain in these areas may mix with dust and leave muddy deposits; their amount and visibility depend on dust concentrations and where the rain falls. Saharan dust can also irritate the eyes and respiratory tract. A separate AEMET forecast, using Copernicus’s CAMS modelling system, projected strong dust over Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura, with the plume moving toward Tenerife and La Gomera. Forecast daily average PM10 concentrations reached 63 micrograms per cubic metre in Tenerife and 58 in La Gomera.
Warm air masses are likely to carry the calima farther next week. By Monday, dust could reach all of Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha, southern Extremadura and possibly Madrid, while remaining entrenched along the Mediterranean coast. Suspended dust and occasional muddy rain are expected to continue, affecting air quality and visibility across the regions.
The October DANA Adam episode shows the flood risks that can accompany persistent Mediterranean rainfall. Reuters reported that Pego, in Alicante, recorded 632 millimetres in 36 hours, while several locations in southern Valencia and northern Alicante exceeded 500 millimetres over the same period. The storm also caused serious flooding in eastern Spain, and residents were rescued from rooftops. During the episode, AEMET warnings covered areas beyond Valencia and Murcia, including parts of Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha, Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, Ceuta and Melilla.
Recent weather instability in Spain echoes other natural events in the region, including the wildfire crisis that forced evacuations in Zaragoza and threatened the Sierra Norte Natural Park. For more on the impact of extreme weather on Spanish communities, see the report on the Orés wildfire and its consequences for local residents: devastating wildfires in Zaragoza.
Calima events are common in Spain, especially when southerly or easterly winds carry Saharan dust across the Mediterranean. These episodes can reduce air quality, affect respiratory health and make driving more difficult because of poor visibility and muddy rain. Residents in affected areas are advised to monitor AEMET updates and follow official warnings, particularly for outdoor activities and travel during periods of intense dust and storms.
