When 231 people died in the Comunidad Valenciana during the October 2024 dana, the region’s weather network was suddenly overwhelmed. Avamet, a volunteer-run association, became a major source of real-time weather updates as officials and residents searched for information. On the day of the disaster, its website saw nearly a million visits, far more than most official channels, showing how urgently people now follow the weather.
Avamet started in 2011 as a small group of weather enthusiasts. Today, it has 858 paying members and runs more than 900 data collection points. Some stations sit on remote peaks or islands, sending a steady stream of local data to everyone from farmers to city officials. The group’s president, Adrià Revert, says the network’s growth has "gotten out of hand." In a place where the weather can turn dangerous overnight, that’s exactly what people want.
In early September 2026, the official death toll from the October 2024 DANA in Valencia was updated to 232 after a judicial review, surpassing previous reports.
Valencians have always lived with sudden weather swings. The region’s geography and proximity to the Mediterranean mean months of calm can quickly give way to floods or record heat. In August 2024, a historic ponentà pushed nighttime temperatures to 39°C, followed by humid winds that battered towns in the Ribera. Revert points to past disasters, including the 1957 flood and the 2019 deluge in Ontinyent, as reminders that extremes are common here.
Avamet stands out for its grassroots approach. Half its stations are privately owned, and some are in places state agencies rarely reach. One sits on the Islas Columbretes, accessible only by a three-hour boat ride from Castellón. Another, in the Nava del Toro at 1,500 meters, once recorded minus 25°C. When official data is missing or delayed, this decentralized setup lets Avamet fill the gaps, sometimes with life-saving results.
The association’s data is now so trusted that, in 2025, the Generalitat Valenciana signed an agreement to use Avamet’s figures for official decisions. More than 150 municipalities rely on its app and website for up-to-date readings. Schools and cooperatives use them too, as does the CSIC. The group works closely with the national meteorological agency, Aemet, while Avamet’s local focus draws 60 million visits a year to its digital platforms.
Following the catastrophic DANA of October 2024, AVAMET expanded its monitoring network by 148 new meteorological stations, reflecting a surge in demand for precise local data. The expansion was driven by the need for better early warning and response capabilities after record rainfall. Some areas, including Godelleta and Turís, registered up to 700 liters per square meter in a single day.
For many, tracking the weather is a necessity. Agriculture still shapes much of the Valencian economy, especially in rural areas where a single storm can ruin a year’s work. Farmers check Avamet’s app daily, hoping for early warnings. Teachers and researchers do the same. The October 2024 disaster showed what was at stake: by 8 a.m., some areas had already seen 200 liters of rain, and by mid-afternoon, the Utiel-Requena region had broken previous records with 300 liters. Revert, who later testified as an expert in court, says the data was enough to predict disaster, even as technical failures cut off some feeds. The group posted urgent warnings on social media, urging caution in the Ribera and l’Horta as floodwaters rose.
Climate change is making these extremes worse. The last five summers have been the hottest on record, with 2024 at the top. As the Mediterranean warms, violent autumn storms are becoming more likely. The Valencian saying, "Llueve poco pero para lo poco que llueve, llueve bastante," sums it up: rain is rare, but when it comes, it’s overwhelming.
Spain’s reliance on local expertise extends beyond weather. In areas such as wildfire response, grassroots groups have pushed authorities to adapt. Madrid’s forest firefighters, for example, won better pay after a long strike, as reported earlier. When official systems fall short, communities build their own solutions, some of which become impressive.
Avamet’s rise marks a shift in how risk is managed in Spain’s most climate-exposed regions. The state’s growing dependence on volunteer networks reflects local initiative as well as gaps in official systems. As extreme weather becomes routine, demand for real-time, ground-level data will continue to grow. How well Valencia handles the next crisis may depend on how closely authorities work with these networks.
