- Hurricane causes more than 40 flight cancellations in Mallorca
A severe storm in the Spanish Mediterranean region is causing chaos in the air traffic, including on Mallorca. 44 flights were cancelled at Palma Airport due to weather conditions by the afternoon, according to the responsible authorities of the Spanish island.
23 arrivals and 21 departures were affected, it was reported. Almost all other connections had significant delays. However, the worst part of the storm was yet to come. "The night is what worries me the most," said Toni Plata, head of the emergency response center, to journalists.
Heavy rain and storm
The low-pressure system brought heavy rain showers, thunderstorms, hail, and storm gusts to Mallorca and other Spanish Mediterranean regions. The fire department had to repeatedly intervene to remove fallen trees or pump out flooded basements. However, no major damages were reported on Mallorca or elsewhere in Spain at first.
The second-highest alert level orange of the national weather service Aemet was in effect on Wednesday for the Balearic Islands, as well as parts of the autonomous communities of Andalusia, Murcia, Valencia, and Catalonia.
Red alert on Thursday
For the northeastern part of Mallorca, Aemet even issued a red alert for Thursday, which will be in effect from midnight to 3:00 PM. Up to 180 liters of precipitation are expected to fall within a few hours. The storm is then expected to gradually subside. However, the air traffic on Mallorca is likely to be disrupted until Friday.
It is rare for the alert level red to be issued on Mallorca. However, a change in weather is common in mid-August, marking the end of the constant summer weather on the island. Beach days are then interspersed with sometimes heavy thunderstorms.
The severe storm affecting Spain's Mediterranean region is not limited to Mallorca, as regions like Andalusia, Murcia, Valencia, and Catalonia are also under alert level orange. The storm is predicted to intensify further, with a red alert issued for the northeastern part of Mallorca from Thursday midnight to 3:00 PM, expecting up to 180 liters of precipitation within a few hours. Due to these conditions, disruptions in air traffic on Mallorca are expected to continue until at least Friday.
