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Amber alert issued as torrential rain threatens northern Alicante
Up to 50 litres of rain could fall in just an hour as Aemet warns of flash flooding risk
Autumn has arrived in Alicante province with a bang, or rather a splash. Spain's State Meteorological Agency, Aemet, activated an amber warning for heavy rain and thunderstorms across the northern coast, covering the comarcas of Marina Alta and El Comtat, on Thursday afternoon.Forecasters are warning of up to 50 litres per square metre falling in a single hour along the coast, with an estimated probability of between 40% and 70%. That kind of intensity can overwhelm drainage systems fast, and both Aemet and the 112 Emergency Services have flagged a high risk of flash flooding in low-lying areas, streams and dry riverbeds.
The worst of it is expected to hit between late Thursday and the first half of Friday, with the northern Alicante coast joined by parts of Valencia, Castellón and southern Tarragona in facing locally very heavy showers. Rain should begin around midday on Thursday further inland, then push towards the coast and intensify as the hours go on. In the areas covered by a special weather advisory, totals could exceed 150 litres per square metre in under six hours.
Thunderstorms accompanying the rain could bring gale-force gusts, and hail hasn't been ruled out either. The whole system is being fuelled by a mix of cold air higher up in the atmosphere and warm, moist air drawn in off the Mediterranean, with an advancing Atlantic front and a developing area of low pressure near the south-eastern coast and the Balearics adding to the instability.
Wednesday saw the first warnings land, with a yellow alert for thunderstorms across inland areas remaining active until 11.59pm. The regional Emergency Coordination Centre has already urged local Ayuntamientos to keep a close eye on updates and have preventative measures ready to go, with particular concern around ravines and dry riverbeds, since recent storms mean the ground is already saturated and could fill quickly.
Unfortunately, this isn't a one day event. Rain is set to continue across much of mainland Spain over the weekend, heaviest in the east though less intense than Thursday's peak. From Sunday, Aemet expects an isolated cut-off low, known as a DANA, to form west of the Iberian Peninsula, and unsettled conditions could linger until at least Monday morning.
For those in the affected areas today, expect cloudy skies with scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly in the afternoon and evening, alongside cooler overnight temperatures. Winds will come from the northeast and north, moderate near the coast and lighter inland. If you've got outdoor plans this week, it might be worth keeping one eye on the sky.
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Images: Aemet
