Cristina Hodgson
STORM Justine arrives following days of spring-like temperatures.
A cold front forming the squall will approach northern Spain this Friday bringing heavy rain, snowfall and hurricane-force winds.
From midday today, Galicia has been placed under a yellow warning for rain in the Rias Baixas, strong gusts of wind (between 70 and 90 kilometres per hour) throughout the southwest of Asturias and Picos de Europa and for coastal phenomena on the coast of A Coruña, with waves that could exceed 8 metres in height.
According to meteorologist Juan Taboada, although the storm will be ‘relatively small’ it’s considered a ‘high-impact squall’ and will be ‘explosive’ because the speed with which it will move, ‘makes it difficult to predict both its exact path and its effects.’
“The alert remains yellow for the moment, but it is possible that, in the next few days with more precise forecasts, it will change to orange,” he said.
Meanwhile on the Andalucian coast, Melilla and the Balearic Islands a storm at sea is also expected, with westerly winds force 7 and waves of 3 to 4 metres.
Justine is the fifth named squall so far this year in the Southwest European group, which includes Spain, Portugal, France and Belgium and the tenth since the season began on October 1.
