Severe thunderstorms swept across eastern Spain on Wednesday afternoon, triggering extensive flooding in major cities and claiming at least one life. The slow-moving weather system brought torrential rain, powerful winds and large hail to the region, with Valencia and Barcelona experiencing the worst impacts.
The storm system developed over the Castilla-La Mancha region during the afternoon before tracking eastward toward Spain's coast, where it stalled and persisted through the night. Weather monitoring stations positioned west of Barcelona recorded exceptional rainfall totals, with more than 100mm of precipitation falling within a few hours. In the early hours of Thursday morning, some locations near Barcelona received 70mm of rain in just 30 minutes. The deluge submerged vehicles and roads across both cities, forcing authorities to cancel multiple flights serving the region.
A man died after his vehicle was swept away in floodwaters near Olivella, a town west of Barcelona. According to reports from the scene, rescue workers discovered his body approximately 500 metres from the car that had been carried away by the rising waters.
How did the storms affect transport and events?
The flooding disrupted transport networks and public services across eastern Spain. Wednesday's La Liga football match between Levante and Athletic Club was postponed after the Estadio Ciudad de Valencia became flooded, preventing the fixture from proceeding as scheduled.
Why is Spain vulnerable to such extreme weather?
Spain's eastern coastline faces heightened risk of severe rainfall during autumn months, a pattern demonstrated dramatically in 2024 when catastrophic flash floods struck the same region. Scientists have linked the intensification of such storms to unusually warm Mediterranean Sea temperatures, which supply additional moisture and energy to developing thunderstorms and increase the likelihood of flooding.
What flooding occurred in the United States?
Extreme rainfall also affected parts of the United States during the same period. A half marathon event called Racefaster, held on Sunday, was disrupted when 50mm to 100mm of rain fell, leaving the course partially submerged. Participants waded through chest-deep water at various points along the route, yet 250 runners persisted and completed the race. Flooding extended northeastward into Connecticut and Rhode Island, where some areas received up to 190mm of rain over a 36-hour span.
What is happening with Tropical Storm Dujuan?
Tropical Storm Dujuan was positioned over the open western Pacific Ocean and tracking on a north-westerly course toward Japan. Forecasters predicted the system would intensify into a category one typhoon on Friday. According to Japan's weather agencies, Dujuan was expected to pass near the south-east coast of Japan, potentially bringing impacts to Tokyo and surrounding areas during the long holiday weekend.
The joint typhoon warning centre forecast that Dujuan would skirt past Japan's south-eastern coast. More recent tracking data indicated that the typhoon moved near eastern Honshu with weakening expected as it transitioned away from tropical-storm intensity and shifted toward the north-east.
What impacts are forecast for Japan?
Weather forecasters indicated that Dujuan could deliver very heavy rainfall to the Izu Islands, the Kanto region, the Tokai area and nearby zones extending into Monday and Tuesday. The system was expected to pass near Tokyo before gradually weakening as it continued its north-eastward movement.
Key Facts
- Thunderstorms brought more than 100mm of rain to areas west of Barcelona within hours, with 70mm falling in 30 minutes near the city
- At least one person died after his vehicle was swept away by floodwaters near Olivella, west of Barcelona
- A La Liga football match between Levante and Athletic Club was postponed due to flooding at the stadium
- Tropical Storm Dujuan is forecast to intensify into a category one typhoon and approach Japan during the coming weekend
- Spain's Mediterranean coast remains vulnerable to extreme autumn rainfall, particularly as sea temperatures remain elevated
