A tornado warning has been issued for Andalucia this week ahead of the arrival of Storm Claudia.
The yellow alert for the weather phenomenon has been issued by Spain’s state weather agency Aemet.
The coastal region of Huelva province, Aracena and Andevalo and Condado are all facing a ‘possibility of isolated tornadoes’, says Aemet.
The alert is in place on Thursday between noon and 11.59pm, when the worst of Claudia is expected to hit Andalucia.
Huelva is also on alert for heavy rainfall of up to 20mm per square metre per hour over the same period, plus strong winds of 70km/hr.
Storm Claudia entered Spain on Tuesday night, ushering in several days of rain and strong winds for much of the country.
Aemet confirmed that the ‘high-impact Atlantic depression’ will sweep across the country this week, including Andalucia.
According to spokesman Ruben del Campo, the storm will reach the Iberian Peninsula late Tuesday, moving in from Galicia, before hitting the Canary Islands on Wednesday and Andalucia from Thursday onwards.
Its effects are expected to intensify on Friday, with unsettled weather lasting at least four days.
How storm Claudia will hit Andalucia
The storm fronts will arrive from the west, entering the region through Huelva on Thursday.
On Thursday, light rain is expected in western Andalucia during the morning, spreading to Huelva, Sevilla and Cadiz later in the day.
On Friday, heavy rain and storms are expected across the entire region, especially in western provinces, where downpours could be strong and persistent – this includes Malaga and the Costa del Sol.
Winds from the south will be moderate to strong, with the possibility of very strong gusts in the western third of the region.
On Saturday, there will be continued instability, with cloudy skies, intermittent rain and occasional clear spells.
By Sunday, another band of rain associated with Claudia will cover most of Andalucia, although Aemet warns that the forecast could still evolve.
Aemet warned that alerts may be activated as the storm progresses.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
