Deadly Storm Gloria batters Spain with wind, rain and snow
By
Eric Leister, AccuWeather senior meteorologist &
Maura Kelly, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Jan 15, 2020 6:45 PM EDT
The streets of Tossa de Mar, Catalonia, were buried under feet of foamy water, as Storm Gloria hit the region on Jan. 20.
Storm Gloria unleashed fierce winds, flooding rainfall and phenomenal waves on Spain's southern and eastern coastline from Sunday into Wednesday.
Locations hit the hardest by Gloria include Murcia, Valencia, Barcelona and the Balearic Islands.
The heavy rain, snow and strong winds created widespread travel disruptions and localized flooding.
The storm has already been blamed for at least nine deaths, according to El Pais. At least four other people were missing as of Wednesday.
Rainfall began to increase across eastern Spain from Sunday into Monday with the Balearic Islands enduring the brunt of the storm.
Majorca was lashed by strong winds of 65-80 km/h (40-50 mph) and heavy rainfall.
Rainfall totaled 75-125 mm (3-5 inches) through midday Monday with local amounts over 175 mm (7 inches).
Pounding surf also caused coastal flooding across the islands.
A UK national remains missing in Ibiza following the stormy weather.
Heavy rainfall and damaging winds also moved into Valencia and surrounding areas from Sunday into Monday.
Rainfall of 50-100 mm (2-4 inches) caused flooding while coastal flooding was reported due to waves up to 6 meters (20 feet) battering beaches and communities.
A man was hospitalized with a broken leg after being struck by a large wave along the Costa Blanca on Monday.
The body of another man was found on Wednesday after flooding caused a building to collapse in Alcoy.
A wind gust of 135 km/h (84 mph) was reported in Xàbia, along Spain's eastern coastline to the south of Valencia on Monday.
Flights were canceled at several airports in eastern Spain due to the downpours and strong winds. Alicante airport was closed on Monday during the worst of the storm.
The storm cut power to more than 10,000 people in eastern France on Monday, according to the AP.
Conditions worsened across northeastern Spain Monday night into Tuesday as Gloria shifted northward.
More than 200,000 people were left without power on Tuesday in the Girona province area due to heavy rain and snow, according to Reuters.
People walk along the beach during strong winds in Barcelona, Spain, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. Two people have died as storms carrying heavy snowfalls and gale-force winds lashed many parts of Spain on Monday. The storm has forced the closure of Alicante airport and some 30 roads in eastern region. Six provinces are on top alert. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Widespread rainfall totals of 50-100 mm (2-4 inches) were common across Catalonia and Girona with some communities receiving 150 mm (6 inches) of rainfall by Wednesday. The hardest-hit communities of northeastern Catalonia may record an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 300 mm (12 inches) by Wednesday night.
Cities in this region normally receive around an inch of rainfall for the entire month of January.
The Ebro Delta was flooded up to 3 km (1.84 miles) inland due to the combination of heavy rainfall and large surf. This caused significant damage to crops in the region.
Additional flooding, significant travel disruptions and a high risk of mudslides will continue into Wednesday night.
The heavy rainfall spilled over into southern France where flooded was reported on Wednesday.
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Locations from Almería to Malaga escaped the worst of the storm with occasional rain into Wednesday.
From Thursday into Friday, periods of locally heavy rain will raise the risk for flooding along Spain's southern coastline from Marbella to Cadiz.
Flooding and strong winds will be the most widespread concerns from Storm Gloria, but AccuWeather meteorologists warn that heavy mountain snow will also cause havoc across eastern Spain.
The snow had already begun to pile up in higher elevations of southeastern Spain on Monday.
The snow forced the closure of around 30 roads across the higher elevations of eastern Spain, according to the AP.
The higher elevations of the Baetic Mountains and the eastern Iberian Range will be hit the hardest. Forecasters say local amounts could exceed 30 cm (12 inches) through Wednesday night.
A period of dry and tranquil weather may settle across much of eastern Spain and the western Mediterranean during the second half of the week, but some heavier rain may fall across southern France.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
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News / Severe Weather
Deadly Storm Gloria batters Spain with wind, rain and snow
By Eric Leister, AccuWeather senior meteorologist & Maura Kelly, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Jan 15, 2020 6:45 PM EDT
The streets of Tossa de Mar, Catalonia, were buried under feet of foamy water, as Storm Gloria hit the region on Jan. 20.
Storm Gloria unleashed fierce winds, flooding rainfall and phenomenal waves on Spain's southern and eastern coastline from Sunday into Wednesday.
Locations hit the hardest by Gloria include Murcia, Valencia, Barcelona and the Balearic Islands.
The heavy rain, snow and strong winds created widespread travel disruptions and localized flooding.
The storm has already been blamed for at least nine deaths, according to El Pais. At least four other people were missing as of Wednesday.
Rainfall began to increase across eastern Spain from Sunday into Monday with the Balearic Islands enduring the brunt of the storm.
Majorca was lashed by strong winds of 65-80 km/h (40-50 mph) and heavy rainfall.
Rainfall totaled 75-125 mm (3-5 inches) through midday Monday with local amounts over 175 mm (7 inches).
Pounding surf also caused coastal flooding across the islands.
A UK national remains missing in Ibiza following the stormy weather.
Heavy rainfall and damaging winds also moved into Valencia and surrounding areas from Sunday into Monday.
Rainfall of 50-100 mm (2-4 inches) caused flooding while coastal flooding was reported due to waves up to 6 meters (20 feet) battering beaches and communities.
A man was hospitalized with a broken leg after being struck by a large wave along the Costa Blanca on Monday.
The body of another man was found on Wednesday after flooding caused a building to collapse in Alcoy.
A wind gust of 135 km/h (84 mph) was reported in Xàbia, along Spain's eastern coastline to the south of Valencia on Monday.
Flights were canceled at several airports in eastern Spain due to the downpours and strong winds. Alicante airport was closed on Monday during the worst of the storm.
The storm cut power to more than 10,000 people in eastern France on Monday, according to the AP.
Conditions worsened across northeastern Spain Monday night into Tuesday as Gloria shifted northward.
More than 200,000 people were left without power on Tuesday in the Girona province area due to heavy rain and snow, according to Reuters.
People walk along the beach during strong winds in Barcelona, Spain, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. Two people have died as storms carrying heavy snowfalls and gale-force winds lashed many parts of Spain on Monday. The storm has forced the closure of Alicante airport and some 30 roads in eastern region. Six provinces are on top alert. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Widespread rainfall totals of 50-100 mm (2-4 inches) were common across Catalonia and Girona with some communities receiving 150 mm (6 inches) of rainfall by Wednesday. The hardest-hit communities of northeastern Catalonia may record an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 300 mm (12 inches) by Wednesday night.
Cities in this region normally receive around an inch of rainfall for the entire month of January.
The Ebro Delta was flooded up to 3 km (1.84 miles) inland due to the combination of heavy rainfall and large surf. This caused significant damage to crops in the region.
Additional flooding, significant travel disruptions and a high risk of mudslides will continue into Wednesday night.
The heavy rainfall spilled over into southern France where flooded was reported on Wednesday.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Locations from Almería to Malaga escaped the worst of the storm with occasional rain into Wednesday.
From Thursday into Friday, periods of locally heavy rain will raise the risk for flooding along Spain's southern coastline from Marbella to Cadiz.
Related:
Flooding and strong winds will be the most widespread concerns from Storm Gloria, but AccuWeather meteorologists warn that heavy mountain snow will also cause havoc across eastern Spain.
The snow had already begun to pile up in higher elevations of southeastern Spain on Monday.
The snow forced the closure of around 30 roads across the higher elevations of eastern Spain, according to the AP.
The higher elevations of the Baetic Mountains and the eastern Iberian Range will be hit the hardest. Forecasters say local amounts could exceed 30 cm (12 inches) through Wednesday night.
A period of dry and tranquil weather may settle across much of eastern Spain and the western Mediterranean during the second half of the week, but some heavier rain may fall across southern France.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo