Spain faces another day of relentless storms, with heavy rain and hail hitting the north and central regions. Meteorologists warn of intense downpours and falling temperatures, with weather alerts across much of the country. The unsettled pattern is expected to continue before conditions gradually stabilize.
Rain and hail battered wide stretches of Spain on Tuesday, the sixth straight day of severe weather, keeping much of the country on alert. The heaviest rain hit the north and center. The Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (Aemet) warned that storms could break out almost anywhere on the peninsula, with unstable conditions expected to persist nationwide.
Rubén del Campo, Aemet's spokesperson, said: “They may occur almost anywhere, although with greater intensity in areas of the northern third and basic part of the peninsula.” The forecast called for strong, at times very strong, rain, particularly in Extremadura and western Castilla-La Mancha. The Sistema Central was also at risk. Hail was possible, too. Yellow alerts were issued for Antequera and Ronda in Málaga province, where rainfall could reach 15 mm per hour, accompanied by thunderstorms and hail.
Nine autonomous communities were under orange alerts for rain, while yellow storm alerts covered a wider area. Aragón and Cataluña faced yellow warnings for thunderstorms. Andalucía and Asturias were under yellow alerts for both rain and storms. The same alerts covered Castilla y León and Castilla-La Mancha, as well as Extremadura and Galicia. The Comunidad de Madrid was also under yellow alerts for rain and storms. The Balearic Islands could see isolated downpours, while more showers were expected in the Canary Islands. This was the latest in a string of heavy-rain episodes; eastern and northeastern Spain had already been hit hard in early October.
Temperatures fell across most of Spain, while the Mediterranean coast was the exception. Highs in the south of Comunidad Valenciana and Murcia hovered near 30°C, while inland Galicia barely reached 20°C. Catalonia faced the most dangerous conditions: forecasts for the coast and foothills of Tarragona and Barcelona indicated a risk of more than 200 mm of rain in 6 to 12 hours. Girona was also at risk. Up to 40 mm could fall in just 30 minutes. Authorities prepared to send emergency ES-Alert notifications amid the risk of flash floods and rapidly rising rivers.
Del Campo said temperatures would drop even further on Wednesday, especially in the north and the Canary Islands. Unsettled conditions would persist, with the heaviest rain expected across Spain's northern third. The Cantabrian coast and northeast faced strong, potentially persistent rain. The Balearic Islands also faced heavy rain, with thunderstorms and hail possible. Showers were expected to continue in the north and center. They were also forecast for the eastern interior, while the west and south might see some sunshine. In the Canary Islands, rain was likely in the north, with showers possible elsewhere.
Yellow alerts for rain and storms remained in place for Andalucía and Aragón, as well as Cataluña and Navarra. Asturias and Cantabria were under yellow alerts for rain alone. The Basque Country also had a yellow rain alert. Conditions might begin to settle by Thursday as anticyclonic conditions returned, though heavy rain could persist in the far north and Cataluña. It could also continue in the Balearic Islands. Rain was expected to ease heading into the weekend, while temperatures would remain cool for now, with a gradual rebound possible. Aemet said the Meteoalerta system would continue tracking conditions and updating warnings for dangerous weather up to 72 hours ahead.
Spain has experienced sudden, severe weather before. Earlier flooding in Granollers after late storm warnings made headlines, as reported previously. This episode stands out for its duration and the number of regions affected, from Galicia to Madrid and from Aragón to Andalucía. Hail and heavy rain were widespread, but the most extreme rainfall and red-level alerts were mostly in Catalonia and in earlier or parallel periods. Not all of Spain faced the worst conditions on October 6.
Meteorologists urged people to stay alert as another round of storms approached. Temperatures and rainfall can change quickly, and the weather can turn in minutes. The past week showed how rapidly storms can disrupt life across the peninsula.
