In an unprecedented weather event, the Murcia region and Alicante province have witnessed a deluge of rain, shattering rainfall records for the month of May. The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has confirmed that this May has been the wettest in Murcia since 1941, while Alicante province experienced its highest recorded rainfall for May since 1982.
Aemet predicts that the region will continue to experience a mix of sun, showers, and storms until mid-June, indicating that the unusual weather patterns are not yet subsiding. Juan Esteban Palenzuela, the director of Aemet in Murcia, revealed that the average May rainfall in the region reached 115 litres per square meter, surpassing the previous highest records of 98 litres in 1976 and 103 litres in 1959.
In Alicante province, rainfall levels varied across different municipalities. Alicante City observed the highest rainfall since 1980, with 95.4 litres per square meter. However, the El Comtat region in the north experienced the heaviest downpours, with l’Orxa recording an astounding 333.6 litres per square meter.
The southern city of Torrevieja experienced an unusual phenomenon as it saw nine consecutive days of rainfall. This marks the first time in the city’s history, since records began in 1927, that such prolonged rainfall has occurred in any month.
Professor Jorge Olcina from Alicante University’s climatology department explained that this exceptional rainy month was caused by the interaction of high pressure over northern France and the British Isles with low pressure and cold air in southern Europe, particularly the western Mediterranean basin. These atmospheric conditions generated instability and the formation of storms.
Despite the challenging weather, there is a silver lining for the regions of Alicante and Murcia. The recent rainfall has alleviated concerns about drought restrictions later in the summer, as the Segura basin reservoirs have witnessed a rise of 15 hectometres in the past week. Marrio Urrea, the president of the basin organization (CHS), stated that without this unusually wet period, the Murcia region would have entered a drought alert situation by July. However, farmers have been urged to use water prudently, as the area still grapples with a prolonged period of drought, despite the recent rains.