'Dana' weather depression will bring rain to Spain this week; but the question is when and where?
There is a change on the cards for Malaga province and the Costa del Sol, going from spring-like temperatures to the possibility of precipitation, although it would have to be very heavy to fall as the so-called "blood rain"
There are many sayings dedicated to the month of February which is characterised by its meteorological ups and downs. Only yesterday, an anticyclone combined with the warm 'terral' wind bathed Malaga and the Costa del Sol with spring-like temperatures. Again this Tuesday (13 February) the temperatures are unusually high for the time of year. However, a change in the European and American weather models forecast the arrival of a 'Dana' (a depression in the upper levels of the atmosphere) to Spain this week which will leave rain; but the question is: where?
As José Luis Escudero pointed out in his SUR blog Tormentas y Rayos (Storms and Lightning', "the worst thing about Danas is that until the last minute we will not know where they will leave more rain". At the moment, it is expected to affect mainly the centre and western areas of the Spanish mainland in the middle of the week. If there is any chance of rain in Malaga and on the Costa del Sol it will be during Thursday and early Friday morning. Spain's state weather agency (Aemet) has raised the probability of rainfall in the province to 85% from 12 noon onwards, although this drops to 25% on Friday morning, with the exception of some areas of the Axarquía.
The weather models are also not very favourable in terms of the amount of rain expected in Malaga, and it is most likely that rainfall will be light. However, we will have to wait for the evolution of the Dana to provide more precise data.
As for the possibility of the so-called "blood rains" - precipitation accompanied by mud-, although a 'calima' haze is expected due to concentrations of Saharan dust on the Atlantic side of the mainland, the rains would have to be heavy for this phenomenon to occur.
Temperatures will continue to be well above normal for this time of the year, so the spring-like atmosphere will continue.
Weekend
Looking ahead to the weekend, after the Dana moves away from the Spanish mainland from Friday onwards, anticyclonic weather is expected to prevail, with rising temperatures, sunshine and atmospheric stability.
