Friday, November 1, 2024
“The rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain” sang Rex Harrison in the musical “My Fair Lady”. By Lerner and Loewe.
Well, they got that wrong, didn’t they?
At the moment, the rain in Spain stays/falls mainly on Castilla-La Mancha, País Valenciano and Andalucía.
Photo courtesy of Benito Link
Why?
The atrocious weather has been caused by DANA, which has brought the worst weather in living memory to these three areas of south-eastern Spain.
I know we’ve been crying out for rain, to fill our reservoirs, irrigate our crops, water our golf courses and fill our swimming pools, but this is too much all at once.
150 deaths so far but dozens missing presumed drowned.
The worst-hit area has been the Valencia region, but Castilla-La Mancha has experienced major flooding too as well as golf-ball sized hailstones.
Andalucia has suffered also with rivers bursting their banks and deluging towns like Alora, Pizarra, and Alhaurin de la Torre, all not too far from where I live in Ronda.
More misery and devastation are expected as the storms head west. Parts of Malaga, Cadiz and Jerez have been inundated and several coastal resorts have suffered, with their beaches being washed away. Some chiringuitos have been badly damaged and will have to be demolished.
What is DANA?
DANA, or “Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos” (Isolated Depression at High Levels), is also known as a "gota fria” (cold drop) and occurs when a cold air mass becomes isolated in the atmosphere. When this cold air collides with the warm, humid air of the Mediterranean, it triggers torrential rains and extreme weather conditions.
Photo courtesy of 20Minutos
Watch this space
This is an ever-changing story. Look out for updates …..
© Pablo de Ronda
Acknowledgements:
20Minutos
ABC
Benito Link
BBC News
MSN
Wikipedia
Links:
At last – good weather! It’s pouring down!
BREAKING NEWS - DANA – Who or what is it?
Tags:
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