A powerful Atlantic storm named Benjamin is set to batter northern Spain this week, triggering red weather alerts in several coastal areas while the south remains gripped by unseasonal heat.
According to Spain’s state weather agency AEMET, the storm will bring very strong winds across large parts of the Peninsula and a major maritime storm in the north, with waves forecast to reach up to eight metres.
Aemet said: ‘The storm Benjamin has been named by our colleagues at Meteo-France.
‘It will bring very strong wind gusts across wide areas of the Peninsula and significant sea conditions in the north, with waves possibly exceeding seven metres.’
The agency has issued the highest-possible red alert for Thursday morning in parts of the Cantabrian, Biscayan and Gipuzkoan coasts, warning of waves reaching up to 8 metres and winds of up to 88 km/h between 8am and 10am.
Cantabria’s emergency service 112 has urged the public to take extra care. The coast will be under orange alert from midnight Wednesday until late Thursday, with the exception of the two-hour red alert window.
Severe conditions at sea
Winds are expected to blow from the west or northwest at speeds between 62 and 74 km/h (force 8), and even up to 88 km/h (force 9) offshore.
The sea state will be rough, with combined waves from the northwest reaching 5 to 7 metres, and possibly 8 metres during peak danger.
After the red alert period, the warning will be downgraded to yellow from late Thursday into Friday morning, with waves expected to drop to around 4 to 5 metres.
AEMET has advised the public to stay up to date with the latest active warnings as the situation develops.
Rain and sharp temperature drop expected
The weekend forecast isn’t looking any better. AEMET says a front moving in from the Atlantic will bring widespread rain across much of the country, along with a sudden drop in temperatures caused by the arrival of a mass of cold air.
While the north braces for wind and waves this week, much of Andalucia is still sweltering, with high temperatures lingering despite the autumn calendar.
The Costa del Sol will see highs remain in the high 20s, reaching 28C on Saturday, before rainfall on Sunday, bringing highs of around 22C.
