DANA weather system to bring heavy rain and flooding to parts of Spain this week

A DANA (Isolated Depression at High Levels) located Tuesday morning over the far south of Spain will only slowly drift northwest over southern Portugal during this week. The colder air aloft associated with the upper low overlapping warm and humid air off the Mediterreanean being drawn inland at the surface will produce heavy rain across the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, with high rainfall rates on the slopes of higher ground along the Mediterranean.

Upper level low drifting slowly northwest over southern Iberia will heavy rainfall and flooding across southern and eastern areas of Spain over the next few days.

Cyclogenesis at low levels south of the Gulf of Cadiz over the next few days will intensify the Levante (easterly) wind in much of the Mediterranean area, with the advection of large quantities precipitable water inland across the east of the Iberian peninsula. An increase in torrential downpours, accompanied by thunder and lightning and very strong gusts of wind is already affecting southern and eastern coastal areas of Spain and this will continue for the rest of the week.

The area most affected by this DANA in the coming days will be the Mediterranean coastal regions and the south of Spain. This episode will last at least until Thursday, with accumulations that may exceed 200 mm locally across eastern Spain towards the coast, especially over high ,ground, where orographic lift intensifies rainfall.

The DANA has already brought damage and disruption on Monday in the Balearic Islands, where the floods in Manacor on the island of Mallorca, due to the overflowing of the Porto Cristo torrent - have left devastating scenes, with many incidents and several rescues. 

Mallorca has seen significant damage from flash-floods follwong historic raindall on the island on Monday. Record accumulations have been recorded for this October, with 174mm at the Manacor sports centre. According to records, this is the highest figure since 2009.

For today, yellow warnings for heavy rain and storms are in place for large swathes of eastern Spain and the Balearic Islands. Amber warnings for rain and storms have been issued for the Valencia region, a red warning for area south of Valencia until 12:00, while coastal warnings for waves of up to 4m and winds of 60km/h cover the east coast. The Balearic Islands are also bracing for strong winds leading to tumultuous seas with waves expected to rise as high as 4m. There will be heavy showers and storms in large areas of southern and eastern Spain today, the heaviest downpours likely in Andalusia, Murcia, Albacete, Murcia, Valencian Community and southern Catalonia. These rains torrential locally and likely leading to incidences of flash-flooding with resulting travel disruption and flooding of property. 

Red Warning for intense rainfall in southern Valencia, Spain in force until midday, 90mm in an hour possible, leading to risk of #flooding. Strong thunderstorms moving inland from the coast here already Tuesday morning.

Between Wednesday and Thursday with the DANA low moving towards Portugal, the heaviest rains may ease in the Mediterranean coastal regions, but further rain is still forecast. Meanwhile, rain looks to intensify further west, especially towards southwest Spain, with intense rainfall with flooding likely in Andalusia, Extremadura, Castilla-La Mancha.

Nonetheless, by Thursday evening, rainfall accumulations may exceed 240 mm in Tarragona, Castellon and Valencia in eastern Spain, which will be the most affected areas. Across the rest of the Mediterranean regions, accumulations between 100-200 mm are possible.