Experts warn of heavy rainfall in Andalucía: five provinces on alert for showers and strong winds
Up to 100mm could be recorded in 12 hours in some places, according to the state meteorological agency's forecast
December is about to reach its halfway point, bringing widespread rainfall to Andalucía. The new front that is approaching the country, accompanied by strong winds, entered the west of the region on Thursday afternoon, where the first precipitation was expected.
This, however, was just the prelude to a Friday of unsettled weather, with five provinces in the region under a weather warning. State meteorological agency Aemet has activated several yellow warnings for accumulated rainfall of between 40 and 60mm in 12 hours and coastal phenomena in Malaga, Huelva and Cadiz.
The Strait of Gibraltar will be the most affected, with accumulations of up to 100mm. An amber alert will remain active there from 8pm on Friday to 12pm on Saturday. Almeria, Granada and Malaga also have an active yellow warning for wind from the east and the north-east of 50 to 60 km/h (force 7) and waves of two to three metres.
In general, Andalucía will have "very cloudy or overcast skies with persistent moderate rainfall in the western half" on Friday. Meanwhile, "locally heavy and intense" rains could be expected in the east, although less likely. Maximum temperatures will decrease in the western half and light to moderate winds from the east or the south-east are expected, with strong intervals along the coast.
"The showers will especially affect the western half and the central area, although they will also reach areas near the Mediterranean. They could be especially heavy in Andalucía," expert portal Meteored warns.
Eltiempo.es agrees: "Due to the formation of a new low pressure, rainfall is expected to be especially heavy in the south-west. Forecasts indicate heavy rain in Cadiz, Seville and Huelva." Rapid weakening, however, "is expected in a large part of Spain towards the end of the day, with heavy rains persisting in Malaga, Cadiz and other parts of the south-west".
Cadiz will remain under an amber warning for rainfall until 12pm on Saturday, while showers are expected in Malaga throughout the day and the warning for coastal phenomena will be extended
According to these weather experts, the weekend will begin with the precipitations in the south-west subsiding on Saturday, with the exception of Cadiz, where "rain may continue in the form of showers, especially in the morning". Thunderstorms in the Strait of Gibraltar are not ruled out.
For Saturday, Aemet forecasts "very cloudy skies with weak to moderate showers, more likely and intense on the Mediterranean coast, especially around the Strait of Gibraltar and the western Mediterranean, where they may be locally heavy and persistent". On the same day, Cadiz will remain under an amber warning for rainfall until 12pm. Rainfall will also occur in Malaga province, while Almeria, Granada, Cadiz and, once again, Malaga will have warnings for coastal phenomena.
"On Sunday, heavy rain will be present in areas of the south-east and the Mediterranean coast. They can be expected from early in the morning, accompanied by storms on the coasts of Cadiz, Malaga and Almeria," Eltiempo.es reports. For the moment, Aemet has not activated warnings for Sunday in Andalucía.
