Mallorca storm: Palma shuts parks ahead of heavy rain
Palma on Mallorca is shutting the Ribera and Can Terrers parks from 13.00 on Wednesday as an orange heavy-rain warning covers the south of the island. The Sagrera promenade closes at 00.00 and Bellver Park at 21.00, while the Patis Oberts programme has been cancelled. Spain’s State Meteorological Agency, Aemet, expects the weather front to reach Mallorca at about 13.00 and remain active until around 21.00.
Palma, Andratx and Llucmajor could see downpours of up to 30 litres per square metre in an hour. Southern Mallorca also has a yellow warning for thunderstorms. Yellow rain and storm warnings cover the Serra de Tramuntana, the island interior and Llevant, while the north is expected to be less affected.
Rain returns after midnight
A new band of rain is expected from midnight into the early hours, with Ibiza and Formentera most likely to be hit. A first burst of heavy rain and thunderstorms could bring up to 40 litres per square metre in an hour, although forecast models suggest much of the rain may fall over the sea.
Aemet has raised its warnings for Thursday. Ibiza and Formentera face orange warnings for rain and thunderstorms throughout the day, with up to 50 litres per square metre in an hour possible and gusts of up to 50 kilometres per hour. Mallorca and Menorca will also move to orange for rain and storms, before the warning drops to yellow from 08.00; up to 30 litres per square metre in an hour is forecast there.
Gusts and coastal warning
Thunderstorms may bring isolated gusts of 70 to 90 kilometres per hour. Northern and north-eastern Mallorca and Menorca have a yellow coastal warning, with winds of 40 to 50 kilometres per hour and waves up to two metres.
The Directorate General for Emergencies and Interior has kept the Meteobal emergency plan’s orange rain and storm alert in force across all islands, alongside a yellow coastal alert for Mallorca and Menorca. It warns that conditions can change quickly, bringing local flooding, water build-up and disruption on roads, at torrents and in runoff areas. The Balearic government president, Marga Prohens, has urged caution and asked people to follow official information before travelling.
More on this topic: Traffic on Mallorca
Topics: Flooding · Storms · Weather · Traffic · Politics · Palma · Andratx · Llucmajor
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com