The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has lifted the red weather alert, the highest level of alert, in Valencia on Sunday evening. The agency warns of continued significant danger from heavy rain in the Valencian Community and southern Catalonia in the coming hours. Four regions are currently under orange and yellow alerts, with Valencia, Castellón, and Tarragona in the Valencian Community and Catalonia affected. Significant rainfall amounts have been reported in various areas, with 80 liters in Carcaixent, 40 in Mazarrón, and 38 in Barx. The red alert was initially issued for the south coast of Valencia in the afternoon due to heavy rainfall, but the intensity has not been as persistent as in previous events.
Unexpectedly, the intensity of the dana storm system affecting the eastern part of the Iberian Peninsula has prompted new red weather alerts by Aemet for Almería and Valencia, bringing the total to eight red alerts in six days. The Almería alert was issued due to the formation of a mesoscale convective system that could bring torrential rainfall, hail, and strong winds. Experts had not anticipated this level of intensity, and warnings were extended as needed to ensure public safety. The weather system had caused earlier flooding in some areas, and precautionary measures were urged to prevent further damages.
Early on Sunday, Aemet had forecast locally heavy showers in Catalonia, Murcia, and the Valencian Community, areas already affected by previous flooding incidents. Although the intensity of the storm system was expected to decrease over the day and into the next, the erratic nature of the weather conditions led to the issuance of additional red alerts. The possibility of significant rainfall accumulations, exceeding 50 liters per square meter in an hour and 100 to 150 liters in 12 hours, prompted authorities to urge caution and preparedness in the affected regions.
Looking ahead, the coming week is expected to bring a more stable weather pattern, with the dana storm system dissipating gradually. While some intense showers are forecast for the Mediterranean region early on Monday, the situation will improve towards the middle of the week. However, there is still a risk of sporadic showers, particularly in Catalonia, with the potential for localized heavy rainfall. A new weather system from the Atlantic, initially linked to the subtropical storm Patty, will bring rain to western parts of Spain early next week before transitioning into a typical low-pressure system.
Temperatures are expected to remain mild in most regions, with only slight fluctuations. The northern regions may experience warmer temperatures, with cities like Bilbao and A Coruña potentially reaching 24 or 25 degrees at the beginning of the week. The rest of the week will see stable and settled weather conditions across most of the country, except for the Mediterranean region where further showers are anticipated. In the Canary Islands, a similar weather trend is expected, with some cloud cover and light rainfall in mountainous areas before clearing skies and warmer temperatures later in the week.
