Eastern Spain faces highest risk for flooding, mudslides into Friday

Eastern Spain is facing the highest risk for flooding from a pair of storms bringing unsettled weather to the Iberian Peninsula and neighboring Africa.

"The majority of the rain dampening areas from Spain to Morocco into the start of the weekend will generally be a nuisance to travelers and those with outdoor plans," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski. "However, there will be some incidents where the rain will pour down heavy enough to put lives and property at risk."

AccuWeather meteorologists are most concerned for such heavy rain to target eastern Spain in the corridor from Tortosa to Valencia, Gandia and Teruel through Friday.

These areas can expect rainfall amounts of 75-150 mm (3-6 inches) with an AccuWeather StormMax™ of 250 mm (10 inches), which can trigger flash flooding and mudslides.

Anyone living in or traveling to these areas should remain alert for quickly changing weather conditions and possible evacuations due to flooding.

Widespread travel disruptions may result, as some roads may become inundated or damaged by the flooding and mudslides.

"Remember never to drive through a flooded road," Pydynowski said. "Doing so may put your life, as well as your occupants and rescue crews, in danger."

While the heaviest rainfall is expected around Valencia through Friday, rounds of localized downpours may also stream over northwestern Morocco and the southern coast of Spain.

Isolated flash flooding may occur.

"Along the southern coast of Spain, there may be a lull in the heaviest rain from what fell on Thursday to another round of downpours expected Friday night into Saturday," said Pydynowski.

By Saturday, the two storms are expected to have merged together.

Sunday into Monday, the new combined storm will press westward away from the Iberian Peninsula. The trend will be for lingering showers and thunderstorms to diminish gradually these days.

The track of the storms should keep the downpours south of the areas in southern France that were devastated by flooding from former Hurricane Leslie.

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