Storm Regina Brings Blood Rain and Strong Winds to Spain

Spain is bracing for the arrival of Storm Regina, bringing with it strong winds, heavy rainfall and a phenomenon known as “blood rain” due to the presence of Saharan dust. The storm, the 17th high-impact storm of the season, is impacting regions across the country, with weather alerts in place.

Storm Regina’s Path and Impact

Storm Regina is currently moving across North Africa and is expected to affect the Canary Islands and large parts of southern and eastern mainland Spain. AEMET, Spain’s national weather agency, has issued yellow weather warnings for several regions.

The storm is expected to intensify from Tuesday, March 3rd, with strong wind gusts potentially reaching up to 70km/h in parts of Andalucía, the Valencian Community, and Galicia. Coastal areas are particularly vulnerable, with waves exceeding three metres in height along the Malaga and Granada coastlines. Rough seas are also forecast in affected coastal regions.

Rainfall is expected to spread towards the Mediterranean coastline, including Catalonia, the Valencian Community, Murcia, and parts of Andalucía. Heavy rainfall is anticipated in areas such as Andalusia, Murcia, southern Extremadura, and southern Castile-La Mancha.

“Blood Rain” Expected

Adding to the complexity of the weather situation, Storm Regina is carrying significant amounts of Saharan dust. This dust, combined with the expected rainfall, will likely result in “blood rain” – showers that appear muddy or reddish in color. Aemet predicts this phenomenon will be widespread on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Regional Alerts and Forecasts

• Malaga and Granada: Yellow alert for coastal phenomena, with waves potentially exceeding three metres.
• Cadiz: Yellow alert for heavy rain, with up to 15mm of rainfall per square metre expected in an hour.
• Almeria: Yellow alert for strong winds up to 70km/hr, and an orange warning for seas with three-metre waves and force 8 winds.
• Valencia: Likely to notice rain on Wednesday, mainly in pre-coastal areas and southern Valencia province.
• Canary Islands: Showers will continue in the north.

Looking Ahead

Whereas the centre of Storm Regina is expected to move towards northern Morocco on Wednesday and northern Algeria on Thursday, widespread rainfall is forecast to continue across much of the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands. There is some uncertainty regarding the storm’s final position on Friday, but widespread rain and showers in the Canary Islands are still likely. RTVE reports that over 50 liters of rainfall per square meter are expected in several regions, including Andalusia, the Valencia region, Castilla-La Mancha, Murcia, Madrid, Aragón, and Catalonia.