Moment freak thunderstorm batters Spain – seeing tourists run for cover as streets turn to rivers
A freak thunderstorm battered Valencia on Thursday, just hours after temperatures in the Spanish city had soared to 44C, sending tourists scrambling for cover, uprooting trees and turning streets into rivers. The extreme swing in conditions is thought to have been caused by a clash between intense Mediterranean high pressure and a low-pressure mass moving in from the Atlantic, and it followed the region's hottest night on record.
Video footage showed restaurant workers chasing chairs and tables as they were swept downstream, a large tree toppling in winds exceeding 49mph, and locals struggling to stay upright amid hail. Valencia's city council closed all parks, gardens and cemeteries and suspended outdoor markets and activities, while nearby Alicante, Castellon, Barcelona, the Balearic Islands and Aragon were also placed under weather warnings. It comes amid a summer of extreme weather across Spain, including fatal mudslides near Manzanedo de Valdueza that killed two women, and the deadly Almeria wildfire in July, which claimed 13 lives including those of five British nationals.
- Freak storm hit Valencia hours after temperatures reached 44C
- Streets flooded, trees fell, tourists fled for cover
- Follows deadly Spanish wildfires and mudslides this summer
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Valencia is a city on Spain’s Mediterranean coast, where hot summer weather is common. Thunderstorms can bring sudden, intense rain and strong winds, especially when contrasting weather systems meet.
The storm followed an exceptionally hot night and temperatures of 44C. Rapid changes from extreme heat to severe rain and wind can put people at risk and cause damage to streets, trees and buildings.
Weather warnings covered other parts of eastern Spain and the Balearic Islands, and Valencia’s council closed parks and paused some outdoor activities. The storm comes during a summer of severe weather in Spain, including deadly mudslides and a wildfire.