(Image: aemet.es)
UK tourists warned as Spain issues 'extreme danger' alert for holiday hotspots
by Liv Clarke · Manchester Evening NewsUK tourists in Spain have been warned of ‘extremely dangerous’ weather conditions as the country continues to be battered by torrential rain. Rare red weather alerts have been issued in the Andalusia and Catalonia regions today (November 13), covering popular holiday destinations Malaga and Tarragona.
A red warning is in force until midnight tonight in Tarragona on Spain’s east coast, with up to 180mm of rain in 12 hours forecast, accompanied by thunderstorms. The surrounding areas are covered by amber alerts for rain, while yellow warnings have been issued for Barcelona, the north east coast and parts of Majorca.
Valencia, which suffered devastating flash floods two weeks ago, killing more than 220 people, is covered by an amber warning for heavy rain with up to 40mm forecast in onr hour. A red warning is in force for Malaga on the south coast until midnight tonight, with 120mm of rain expected in 12 hours. Amber and yellow warnings are in place for the surrounding area including Granada, Seville and Almeria.
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Posting on X, Aemet issued a warning: “Very adverse day due to very heavy or even torrential rains in several areas of the Mediterranean region. Special attention in the Balearic Islands, Catalonia, the Valencian Community and Andalusia.In areas of Tarragona and Malaga the danger is extreme and we have active red warnings.” Spain’s Civil Protection Agency has also urged people to exercise “maximum caution” and warned people to stay updated on the weather alerts.
(Image: aemet.es)
The current rainy conditions are due to a DANA weather phenomena, where warm and cold air masses collide at high altitude causing instability. It’s the same system which caused the heavy rain two weeks ago, resulting in the catastrophic flooding in the Valencia area.
Forecasting for Wednesday, Aemet said: “In the Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, instability is expected due to a DANA moving towards the southwest in transition to an isolated cold storm. Precipitation is expected in a large part of the territory, less likely in Atlantic Galicia, low areas in the north of the Meseta and the upper Ebro. It may be locally strong and persistent, accompanied by storms, in areas of the Mediterranean coast and pre-coast and the Balearic Islands, especially in the Ebro delta strip at Cabo de la Nao, Malaga, Granada and the west of the Balearic Islands, areas where it may be very strong and even torrential.”
Conditions are expected to improve slightly by Thursday, but yellow and amber warnings remain in place in the Valencia and Castellon areas, as well as Malaga and Seville. Aemet warns that "locally heavy or persistent rainfall” is expected in western Andalusia and parts of the Mediterranean coast.