Weather warnings activated on Costa del Sol for waves up to five metres high

Aemet, Spain’s national weather agency, has activated a yellow alert for easterly and northeasterly winds of 50 to 60 km/h (force 7) and waves of 3 to 4 metres on the Costa del Sol this Thursday, 9 February.

On Friday, the situation will worsen, and Aemet will raise the warning for coastal phenomena to amber. Easterly winds of 60 to 70 km/h (force 8) and waves of 4 to 5 metres high are expected along the entire coastline of Malaga city, the Costa del Sol and the Axarquía. On land, maximum gusts of 80 km/h are expected.

The latest weather warnings follow those earlier in the week when heavy downpours hit many parts of the province.

The rainstorms left an accumulation of 182mm in Alhaurín el Grande, according to data from an (unofficial) rain gauge in the Meteoclimatic network; as well as 152 in Ojén and 126 at the Aljaima dam, in the Guadalhorce valley - according to official data from the Junta de Andalucía’s Hidrosur network.

However, the rain passed by many reservoirs in the province. The main beneficiary was La Concepción, which supplies the Costa del Sol, which received some 51mm and currently stands at 71% of its capacity.

La Viñuela in the Axarquía, which is the most in need of water, registered barely 12mm - and the reservoir is at only 11% of its maximum capacity.

Between Tuesday and Wednesday a white blanket once again covered the Sierra de las Nieves, from an altitude of 1,500 metres, as well as the highest levels of the Serranía de Ronda. Yesterday these were barely visible from low levels, due to the strong fog that covered the area, according to SUR reporter Vanessa Melgar.

It is possible to access the National Park from the road that connects Ronda and San Pedro de Alcántara, although the mayors of the local area have called for caution from visitors.