Laurence Dollimore
A SERIES of weather alerts have been issued across Spain amid a freak ‘gota fria’ that threatens to bring ‘blood rain’, hail and thunderstorms.
The so-called DANA weather front (an area of high, isolated depression), is bursting through the Gulf of Cadiz today, dragging with it a batch of mud-filled air from North Africa.
According to Marta Almarcha, a meteorologist at the respected Eltiempo.es, this will likely bring yet another episode of so-called ‘blood rain’ – a phenomenon that sees falling rain drops pick up mud particles from the air before leaving them on buildings and cars.
According to forecasters, the hazy air will arrive today and leave ‘high concentrations of suspended dust on the islands and in areas of the peninsula.’
The hazy air will move eastwards and away from Spain by Friday, however the rain will continue.
According to Almarcha, the ‘blood rain’ will be spotty but ‘widely distributed’, with affected areas including inland Andalucia, Castilla-La Mancha and potentially Madrid, Castilla y Leon and Extremedura.
It comes after hail fell on the Costa del Sol overnight, with chunks of icy rain filmed falling in Fuengirola.
Meanwhile, state weather agency Aemet has placed the Axarquia on yellow alert for strong rainfall from 10pm tonight until 9am on Friday.
Much of Sevilla, Cordoba and Jaen are under similar alerts for rain, but extended until 12pm tomorrow. They are also under alert for strong thunderstorms.
Meanwhile, Salamanca and Avila, in central northern Spain, are on orange alert for rain and storms.
