A dire warning has been issued to tourists in Spain as Hurricane Kirk’s remnants are poised to pummel the country. Various regions are under amber and yellow weather alerts, with the northwest expected to bear the brunt of the storm’s impact. Meteorologists are cautioning of widespread strong winds, accompanied by heavy rainfall forecast for the northwest. Wind speeds could peak at an intense 120km/h (75mph) in Southwestern Asturias. The Cantabria Sea and Biscay coastal areas are on high alert with amber warnings for violent northwest winds. Cantabria, Galicia, the Pyrenees, and northern Iberia might experience possible hurricane-force gusts while central Spain anticipates winds up to 80km/h (50mph). The Mediterranean coast from Almeria to Barcelona has a yellow alert for winds reaching 60km/h (37mph) and waves up to 3m (10ft). Spain’s national weather agency, Aemet, has stated that the former hurricane Kirk is projected to linger over the northwest of the peninsula, resulting in predominantly cloudy or overcast skies with westward progression of precipitation across most of the Peninsula.
Less precipitation is expected as it moves eastwards, with intermittent light showers in the east and the Balearic Islands, and no rainfall predicted for the southeastern tip of the peninsula. The Pyrenees, Cantabrian area, west of the Central System, and Galicia anticipate heavier rain, potentially becoming intense and prolonged with the chance of thunderstorms. Aemet highlighted that strong winds are expected to be the most significant feature of the day. Meteorologists added that a gale from the south to northwest is anticipated in the eastern Cantabrian Sea. Strong southwesterly winds are expected across most of the Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, with a westerly wind in the Strait and Alboran, transitioning to a westerly direction elsewhere.
Strong to very strong gusts are expected in most areas, particularly in the Cantabrian Sea, northwest quadrant, and the Pyrenees, possibly reaching hurricane-force gusts in regions such as Galicia, northern Iberian Peninsula, Pyrenees, and the Cantabrian area. The Spanish Government’s weather agency, Aemet, underlined that the most notable aspect of the weather will be the strong winds which are expected to affect many parts of the country. The weather warnings and alerts issued for Spain indicate the seriousness of the situation as Hurricane Kirk’s remnants unleash their fury across the nation.