Walter Finch
IF you thought the drought was over, the rains had come and gone and it was just going to be unbroken sunshine without guilt for months on end, think again.
A new storm is making its way towards the Spanish coast, promising to bring with it a wild cocktail of high temperatures coupled, Saharan dust clouds and strong winds.
But will the heat bring rain to the Costa del Sol?
“For now, no mud precipitation is expected in the province of Malaga,” meteorology expert Jose Luis Escudero said.
“Olivia will largely bypass Andalucia. However, starting Saturday, we’ll see the return of the calima, reaching its highest concentration on Sunday and Monday.”
“Some light showers accompanied by ‘blood rain’ are likely on Sunday in the provinces of Huelva, Cadiz, and Sevilla due to a very inactive front passing through.”
READ MORE: Storm Nelson causes flooding road blockages, landslides in Malaga
Malaga province should expect clouds and temperatures approaching 30 degrees Celsius in some parts of the Guadalquivir Valley, with a fresh wave of calima from the Sahara possible.
Storm Olivia, named by the Portuguese Meteorology Institute, is heading to Iberia from the Atlantic, crashing into the Cadiz coast first, where a yellow alert has been put out.
The area around the Strait of Gibraltar will encounter Levante winds reaching speeds between 50 and 61 kilometres per hour (force 7) and rough seas.
Andalucia in general should prepare for possible dust in the air by Saturday afternoon, with temperatures on an upward trajectory.
Sevilla and Jaen are expected to hit the highest peaks at a scorching 30 degrees Celsius, while overnight lows remain unusually high in Almería and Cadiz, at 14 and 15 degrees respectively.
Aemet also forecasts ‘cloudy skies with high clouds, becoming very cloudy by dusk with the possibility of light precipitation in the western extremity, potentially mixed with mud deposits.’
The calima is expected to thicken towards the end of the day, with minimum temperatures on the rise.
READ MORE: Four killed by Storm Nelson in Spain: Tourist and child are among the victims as death toll rises
