A bizarre meteorological phenomenon, dubbed “mud hail,” fell across parts of Málaga province in Spain on Wednesday, March 4th, as Storm Regina swept across the Iberian Peninsula. The unusual precipitation, consisting of ice mixed with Saharan dust, caused minor flooding in several towns, including Antequera, Marbella, and Coín.
The State Meteorological Agency of Spain (Aemet) reported that hailstones began falling around 12:30 pm local time in Antequera, accumulating in a manner described as resembling “foamy snow.” This was not typical hail, though, but a mixture of ice and dust carried north from the Sahara Desert – a phenomenon known as calima in Spanish. The dust, often turning the sky yellow or orange, had been lifted by winds and deposited with the precipitation.
Storm Regina, which arrived in Spain on Tuesday, brought yellow weather warnings for rain and thunderstorms to several regions. While the storm began to ease on Thursday, March 5th, the return of rain on Friday, March 6th, prompted continued alerts, particularly for areas along the Costa del Sol, the Guadalhorce Valley, and Axarquía. Further haze and mud showers were expected in Mediterranean areas and the Ebro Valley.
The unstable weather patterns associated with Storm Regina extended beyond Andalusia. Thursday saw rainfall across parts of Valencia, the Balearic Islands, Castilla-La Mancha, Murcia, Catalonia, and Andalusia. Showers and thunderstorms were forecast to intensify throughout the day, particularly in Murcia, Valencia, the Balearic Islands, and Catalonia, peaking in the mid-afternoon. Galicia, Asturias, and western Castilla y León were also expected to experience showers and thunderstorms.
Significant rainfall totals were predicted for several areas, with Teruel, Castellón, Tarragona, Barcelona, and Girona potentially receiving between 60 and 100 millimeters of rain, and some locations exceeding 120 millimeters. Larger provinces were forecast to accumulate between 20 and 40 millimeters in the coming days.
Yellow weather alerts remained in effect for parts of Andalusia, the interior of the peninsula, and the northeast on Friday, specifically targeting Jaén, northern Valencia, and southern Catalonia. Forecasts indicate that showers and storms could continue across almost the entire country into the weekend, though the precise trajectory and intensity remain uncertain.
