Spain, Portugal brace for more rain and flooding following Storm Emma's wrath

Following Storm Emma, rounds of rain will continue to batter Portugal and Spain, further threatening flooding issues.

Emma, which brought rounds of heavy rain and wind to much of the Iberian Peninsula, has since moved away, but new storms will bring even more rain.

The strongest storm of the week is expected to arrive on Friday and last into the weekend bringing widespread downpours and the potential for locally damaging winds.

"Several storms will travel through the Bay of Biscay, sending rounds of rain into Portugal and much of Spain," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rossio.

The heaviest rain will spread across all of Portugal, but also from Galicia and Austurias to Andulucia. New rainfall amounts will likely total 25-75 mm (1-3 inches) through the course of the week.

The cities of Madrid, Seville, Salamanca, Oviedo and Málaga all could get rainfall amounts on this order.

Because this rain will be spread out over several days, flash flooding will likely not be as widespread of a concern as it was last week.

The greatest threat for flooding will be across northern Portugal and far northwest Spain where there can be local amounts reaching 125 mm (5 inches).

Across eastern Spain, some waves of rain will reach the area. However, the rain is not expected to be as heavy, and rainfall totals will likely stay below 25 mm (1 inch) in most places.

Despite the fact that the rain will be stretched out over the entire week, it could aggravate the already saturated ground, leading to possible flooding, said Rossio.

Low-lying and poor-drainage areas will be most susceptible to this type of flooding.

During the past week, several locations in Portugal and Spain have received a month's worth of rain. These waves of rain in the forecast will continue to raise stream and river levels across the country and possibly overflow their banks.

The AccuWeather Long-Range Team anticipates that it will be a wet start to spring for Spain and Portugal. However, warm and dry weather is expected to replace the rain as spring progresses.

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