Pair of storms to bring risk of flooding to southern, central Europe
By
Maura Kelly, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published May 6, 2020 5:25 PM EDT
Dutch Daffodils and Tulips in Holland created a message in the Netherlands for tourists who won’t see the tulips this year due to coronavirus-related closures.
Two storms working together will continue to erase the warm, dry pattern over parts of Europe into the beginning of the week.
A large area of high pressure brought dry conditions and above-normal temperatures for the time of year across much of western and central Europe late last week.
The two storm systems will work in tandem to end the recent quiet pattern. One system expected to track across northern Europe will push a cold front southward while the other moves into southwestern Europe.
These storms spread showers from the United Kingdom to France, Spain and Portugal on Saturday.
As the storm over southwestern Europe progressed east over the Iberian Peninsula on Sunday, it pulled in moisture from the Mediterranean Sea. Increased moisture helped to produce thunderstorms across parts of France, Spain and Portugal.
This increased moisture also produced areas of heavier rain, mainly in northeastern Spain and southern France.
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The cold front is forecast to linger over central Europe during the early part of the week. As the system over southwestern Europe begins to track east along the front, areas of rain and thunderstorms will spread across France, Germany and northern Italy on Monday.
Meanwhile, conditions will gradually improve across Portugal and Spain.
Rainfall totals of 25-50 mm (1-2 inches) are forecast for most locations from northern Spain to southern Germany and northern Italy. In areas where the heaviest rain falls, rainfall totals can amount to 50-100 mm (2-4 inches). This is most likely across northeastern Spain, southern France and into northwestern Italy.
An AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 200 mm (8 inches) will be possible in the higher elevations and along coastal locations.
In the Aquitaine region of southwest France, these expected rainfall totals are more normal for the amount of rain that would fall during a couple of months.
Red warnings have been issued by Meteo France in this area into the beginning of the week, the highest level on the warning scale.
The risk for flash flooding, especially in low-lying and poor drainage areas, and the risk for mudslides in rugged terrain will increase across northern Spain and southern France into the beginning of the week.
The strongest thunderstorms in southern Spain and along the western Mediterranean coast will also threaten the area with gusty winds and hail.
Following quickly behind this system will be a blast of unseasonably cold air that will first move into the U.K. on Sunday. In central Europe, afternoon temperatures from 20 to 25 C (middle 60s to upper 70s F) on Saturday will be replaced with highs from 5 to 15 C (40s to 50s F) by Monday.
Cold air is forecast to advance quickly enough to allow precipitation to fall as snow in the highest elevations of central Europe. Even across the hills of southern Germany, snow can mix with the rain across any higher terrain Monday evening before precipitation comes to an end later at night.
Due to the mild weather ahead of the storm, accumulating snow is not likely outside of the Alps or higher mountains in southern Germany, AccuWeather forecasters say.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo
News / Weather Forecasts
Pair of storms to bring risk of flooding to southern, central Europe
By Maura Kelly, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published May 6, 2020 5:25 PM EDT
Dutch Daffodils and Tulips in Holland created a message in the Netherlands for tourists who won’t see the tulips this year due to coronavirus-related closures.
Two storms working together will continue to erase the warm, dry pattern over parts of Europe into the beginning of the week.
A large area of high pressure brought dry conditions and above-normal temperatures for the time of year across much of western and central Europe late last week.
The two storm systems will work in tandem to end the recent quiet pattern. One system expected to track across northern Europe will push a cold front southward while the other moves into southwestern Europe.
These storms spread showers from the United Kingdom to France, Spain and Portugal on Saturday.
As the storm over southwestern Europe progressed east over the Iberian Peninsula on Sunday, it pulled in moisture from the Mediterranean Sea. Increased moisture helped to produce thunderstorms across parts of France, Spain and Portugal.
This increased moisture also produced areas of heavier rain, mainly in northeastern Spain and southern France.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
The cold front is forecast to linger over central Europe during the early part of the week. As the system over southwestern Europe begins to track east along the front, areas of rain and thunderstorms will spread across France, Germany and northern Italy on Monday.
Meanwhile, conditions will gradually improve across Portugal and Spain.
Rainfall totals of 25-50 mm (1-2 inches) are forecast for most locations from northern Spain to southern Germany and northern Italy. In areas where the heaviest rain falls, rainfall totals can amount to 50-100 mm (2-4 inches). This is most likely across northeastern Spain, southern France and into northwestern Italy.
An AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 200 mm (8 inches) will be possible in the higher elevations and along coastal locations.
In the Aquitaine region of southwest France, these expected rainfall totals are more normal for the amount of rain that would fall during a couple of months.
Red warnings have been issued by Meteo France in this area into the beginning of the week, the highest level on the warning scale.
The risk for flash flooding, especially in low-lying and poor drainage areas, and the risk for mudslides in rugged terrain will increase across northern Spain and southern France into the beginning of the week.
The strongest thunderstorms in southern Spain and along the western Mediterranean coast will also threaten the area with gusty winds and hail.
Related:
Following quickly behind this system will be a blast of unseasonably cold air that will first move into the U.K. on Sunday. In central Europe, afternoon temperatures from 20 to 25 C (middle 60s to upper 70s F) on Saturday will be replaced with highs from 5 to 15 C (40s to 50s F) by Monday.
Cold air is forecast to advance quickly enough to allow precipitation to fall as snow in the highest elevations of central Europe. Even across the hills of southern Germany, snow can mix with the rain across any higher terrain Monday evening before precipitation comes to an end later at night.
Due to the mild weather ahead of the storm, accumulating snow is not likely outside of the Alps or higher mountains in southern Germany, AccuWeather forecasters say.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo