Weather change expected for the weekend
The State Meteorological Agency issued an informative note on Wednesday 14 October warning of a meteorological shift caused by the possible formation of a DANA, accompanied by cold air and moisture-laden winds. According to the agency, the phenomenon could bring abundant precipitation to the Mediterranean coastal area and the Balearic Islands, with notably colder conditions. "⚠️ INFORMATIVE NOTE | Intense rainfall in the Balearic Islands and Mediterranean coasts. ➡️ Abrupt weather change due to the arrival of a DANA, along with cold air and humid winds. ➡️ Abundant rainfall in the Mediterranean and colder conditions", AEMET stated.
The scenario the agency considers most likely places the start of intense rainfall in the afternoon of Saturday 17 October, while Sunday 18 is marked as a day requiring special attention due to the possibility of persistent precipitation. "This weekend there will be an abrupt change in weather. ⛈️ Precipitation is expected in the Mediterranean coastal area and the Balearic Islands, which could be very heavy with significant accumulated rainfall from Saturday afternoon onwards. ℹ️ We will continue to inform you", AEMET noted.
Special warning from the Generalitat
The Valencian Regional Government's Emergency and Interior Department and the Emergency Coordination Centre issued a special warning to municipalities and bodies with responsibility in the matter. From the Emergency Department, councils were asked to maintain constant monitoring of forecast developments to be able to activate their action protocols in advance, in line with what already occurred with the yellow alert for rainfall and storms predicted days earlier in the area.
The Emergency Coordination Centre also disseminated self-protection recommendations for the public, including avoiding access to river channels, ravines and riverbeds and driving at moderate speed during rainfall episodes.
Uncertainty about the evolution of the phenomenon
The Climate Laboratory at the University of Alicante warned of the complexity of the atmospheric evolution expected, given that cold air pockets can move along erratic paths. Similarly, AEMET insists that there is high uncertainty about the final position of atmospheric systems and which specific areas could receive the most intense rainfall.
The possible formation of the DANA, combined with the arrival of colder and more humid air, could result in increased instability, especially in the Mediterranean area and in the Balearic Islands.
