Laurence Dollimore
STORM Kirk may have landed in Spain today but the worst is yet to come, according to meteorologists.
State weather agency Aemet has placed multiple provinces on an orange alert for Wednesday, when the worst conditions are expected.
Multiple areas in the north, including Asturias, are expected to see winds of up to 120km/hr.
They have been placed on an orange-level warning by Aemet, meaning there is a ‘significant risk’ to life, due to heavy rainfall, storms and strong winds.
The areas on an orange alert include: A Coruña, Santiago de Compostela, Vigo, Oruense, Lugo, Oviedo, Valladolid, Palencia, Bilbao, Santander, Leon, Pontevedra and parts of the Cantabrian coast.
Meanwhile, dozens of yellow alerts for winds of up to 80km/hr have been activated across the country, including in central parts and the southern coast of Andalucia.
They include; Zamora, Salamanca, Avila, Segovia, Soria, Teruel, Cuenca, Guadalajara, Madrid, Toledo, Caceres, Ciudad Real, Talavera de la Reina, the whole coast of Almeria and the coast of Motril in Granada.
The majority of Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca are also on yellow alert Wednesday for winds of up to 60km/hr and waves of up to three metres.
According to The Weather Channel, the end of this week will usher in four days of rain on the Costa del Sol, including Marbella, starting from Friday.
The wet weather has also a brought a sudden drop in temperatures in the south, with parts of Andalucia, including Sevilla, seeing its highs fall from 32C to 25C overnight.
It comes as Kirk begins to pass by the Iberian Peninsula heading north, having been downgraded from a category four hurricane to a very strong storm.
Despite losing intensity, having racked up winds of 250km/hr over the Atlantic, it will still have a significant impact on the weather in Spain this week.
Dozens of alerts are already in place across the country today (Monday), warning of hail, rain and storms.
An orange alert, the second-most severe, is in place in Jaca, Benasque and Torla-Ordesa, north of Huesca and in the very north of the country. The areas are expected to be lashed by hail and 80km/hr winds.
The rain will then begin to fall across the north, centre and south of Spain, including Andalucia.
Among the areas on a yellow alert for strong rainfall today are; Palencia, Valladolid, Zamora, Salamanca, Badajoz, Merida, Aracena and parts of Sevilla and Cordoba.
Further south, the whole coastline covering the Costa del Sol, Granada and Almeria is on a yellow alert for rough seas, thanks to winds of up to 60km/hr that will bring waves of up to three metres.
Meanwhile, the Sierra Tramontana region of Mallorca is also on a yellow alert for strong winds of up to 70km/hr.
While the Costa del Sol will experience strong winds, the likes of Marbella and Estepona will still enjoy highs of 28C and will avoid the rain.
