AEMET issues warning for dry storms and a high risk of fire

AEMET issues warning for dry storms and a high risk of fire

Dry Storm - Image Tamer Adi Soloman Shutterstock.com

AEMET has issued a warning for dry storms with increasingly favourable conditions developing for the meteorological phenomenon that brings very intense gusts of wind and lightning strikes but little or no rain.

The warning issued on Wednesday, August 3 said that the interior of Spain is facing high temperatures and low humidity creating ideal dry storm conditions, which in turn point to a greater level of fire risk.

Rubén Del Campo, AEMET spokesperson, told EFE Green that the strong gusts of wind could see damage to property and infrastructure.

Hail he said, can also be expected on high grounds in the interior and to the east of the country. Hail is a feature of dry storms, with any rain that does fall during the storm evaporating before it reaches the ground.

Del campo added that these storms are not unique in that they happen every year, not always at ground level but certainly in the upper atmosphere. Heat at ground level is not always an indicator of whether dry storms will occur, but rather it’s what happens meteorologically at mid to high levels in the sky.

At most risk is Castilla y Leon with the arid conditions at ground level adding to the possibility of dry storms. The region has already suffered significant loss of life and property as a result of earlier fires, with the latest forecast not good news.

Dry storms can also be accompanied by so-called latent lightning, which is where the lightning doesn’t ignite the tree immediately but rather travels through to the roots only to ignite up to 48 hours later.

The AEMET warning for dry storms will have put the emergency services on full alert, with residents asked to be vigilant.


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Written by

Peter McLaren-Kennedy

Originally from South Africa, Peter is based on the Costa Blanca and is a web reporter for the Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.

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