Heavy rains in Castellón and the south of Tarragona have led to warnings being issued about certain accumulations that can reach 80 liters per square meter, in a context that may be accompanied by storms and hail, as published by the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) and reported by a specialized media. The current meteorological phenomenon has its origins in the interaction between an advancing Atlantic front and a low pressure area in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula, which creates a framework of instability that covers more than twelve Spanish provinces. This climatic situation described by the AEMET includes episodes of snow, persistent rain, strong winds and waves, with direct impacts on transport, agricultural activities and the provision of essential services.
According to the information published by the AEMET and collected by the above-mentioned media, the accumulation of snow in areas above 1,400 meters altitude in Ávila was the trigger for a series of formal warnings in the central system. This condition underscores the high risk in mountainous areas, where the agency estimates that the critical snow depth is between 1,500 and 1,800 meters, although in the northwest it could be in lower areas, between 1,300 and 1,600 meters. A reduction in the minimum snow depth means an increase in risks related to traffic and the continuity of basic services, according to the AEMET.
The scope of the weather warnings covers provinces in different regions, from Asturias, northern Galicia, Cádiz, Ceuta and areas near the Alborán Sea to parts of the Pyrenees. In the case of Asturias, the agency emphasized that the validity of the warnings extends from the eastern and western coastal strip to the southwest, passing through the central area, the mining valleys, the mountain range and the Picos de Europa. These warnings highlight the far-reaching territorial implications of the episode. In addition, provinces such as Barcelona, Tarragona, A Coruña, Lugo, Pontevedra, Murcia – with notable impact on Campo de Cartagena and Mazarrón – Alicante, Valencia and Castellón remain under meteorological monitoring due to the probability of storms and hail determined by the AEMET.
The influence of the Atlantic front and the low pressure area in the southeast increased the cloud cover and distributed precipitation throughout the peninsula and towards the Balearic archipelago, the aforementioned media reported based on AEMET data. The phenomenon extends to both continental and maritime areas. On the Galician coast, particularly in A Coruña and Pontevedra, as well as on the coasts of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, the strong waves make navigation difficult and affect those who work in fishing and recreational activities at sea, the AEMET reported.
The negative effects also reach the area around the Cantabrian coast and the Pityuse Islands, where heavy rainfall is forecast. Mountainous areas of the central system are experiencing persistent rainfall, which has the potential to significantly increase accumulated water levels. This accumulation contributes to the risk of overflowing rivers and streams, which could complicate agricultural management and land mobility, the same media reported, citing AEMET.
In the Canary Islands, the arrival of successive Atlantic fronts brings cloudy skies and scattered precipitation, especially on the northern slopes, increasing humidity and reducing visibility. This circumstance is associated with fog banks located particularly in the high and inland areas of the eastern third of the peninsula, reinforcing a context prone to incidents in both road and pedestrian traffic, the same source published.
The fall in maximum temperatures is a predominant feature throughout the peninsula and the Balearic Islands, with isolated increases in regions such as the Pyrenees, Ampurdán, southern Galicia and northwest Castile and León. As for the minimum values, the forecast suggests a slight increase in the northern plateau and in some parts of the southern plateau, while lower values are recorded in Andalusia and the Mediterranean. The AEMET added that mountainous areas were experiencing mild frosts, a situation that could make agricultural and logistical tasks even more difficult due to the fragility of infrastructure given the low temperatures.
Variations in wind direction and strength increase the complexity of the meteorological scenario. In the Strait and the Alboran Sea there is a westerly wind and on the Galician coast there is a breeze from the north. The Cantabrian facade is currently experiencing a wind change from south and west to north and northwest, while in the Balearic Islands and the southeastern coastal strip the southwesterly wind dominates. The rest of the peninsula has variable components, rotating north and west as the episode progresses, particularly on the western slope. In the Levant region, the reinforcements come from the east and in the Canary Islands the northerly wind predominates, with the probability that it will reach greater intensity in certain areas, explained the AEMET.
The analysis collected by specialist media warns of an increase in incidents in critical infrastructure: roads, railway networks, electricity and water supply systems are vulnerable to persistent rainfall, snowfall at medium and high altitudes, gusts of wind and persistent fog. The complications also extend to driving safety, the performance of those working in rural and public transport and in operations related to agriculture.
The persistence of these factors, the agency assesses, impacts the daily life of the affected population, making mobility, harvesting and planting in the field, managing service networks and managing municipal and urban emergencies more complex. The AEMET report concludes that it is a climatic episode consisting of cloud cover, falling temperatures, reduced snow amounts, wind changes and high waves. These elements follow the pattern of seasonal transition with the resulting impacts on the infrastructure and territorial organization of communities and cities.
About The Author
