Spain is bracing for torrential rain and a sharp drop in temperatures as a DANA brings widespread weather warnings and government advice on protecting homes.

State weather agency Aemet named the system Adam on Friday, and warned it is set to be the first DANA of the 2026-27 season set to have a major impact.

Yellow warnings cover large swathes of central, southern and eastern Spain, including much of Andalucia, while orange alerts have been issued for parts of the Mediterranean coast, chiefly in Murcia and Valencia.

The main episode is expected between Saturday, October 17, and Monday, October 19, with Sunday and Monday forecast to bring the most adverse conditions.

The weather pattern involves two pockets of cold air at altitude, comprising a main system expected near the Bay of Biscay and a secondary one near the Gulf of Cadiz, according to Meteored.

Their interaction with moist Mediterranean winds will help determine where the heaviest downpours develop.

In Andalucia, showers are expected to become more widespread from Saturday afternoon, with thunderstorms and possible hail.

Earlier Aemet forecasts also highlighted the Costa del Sol as an area to monitor, although the precise location of the heaviest rain remains uncertain.

Further east, orange warnings begin in parts of Murcia at 8am on Saturday, with forecast rainfall reaching 30 litres per square metre in an hour.

Heavy rain will also affect Cataluña, with orange warnings on Barcelona’s coast from Saturday evening.

Sunday’s greatest concern centres on northern Alicante and southern Valencia, where the updated forecast reported by Meteored includes orange warnings for 60 litres per square metre in an hour and 150 litres over 12 hours.

Some locations could receive 300 litres per square metre in 24 hours. Ibiza and Formentera also face particularly intense downpours.

Civil Protection warns of localised flooding and sudden rises in streams, ravines and normally dry riverbeds. The danger may be greater where earlier rainfall has already saturated the ground.

Meanwhile, Spain’s Interior Ministry has urged residents to prepare their homes by:

• Removing loose outdoor objects that could be swept away.
• Checking roofs, guttering and drains so water can flow freely.
• Protecting important documents and moving them to a higher part of the property.
• Keeping hazardous products out of reach of floodwater.
• Avoiding parking beside rivers or in dry watercourses.

Drivers and pedestrians should never attempt to cross flooded roads, while motorists are warned against trying to rescue vehicles during a flood.

The system will also bring a marked change in temperatures. Meteored forecasts falls of 10 to 12C in some eastern areas, with Monday expected to be the coldest day of the episode.

Residents should keep checking local warnings, as the position of the DANA could still change the distribution and intensity of the rain.