Balearic Islands & E Spain Supercell

[Paul Sherman]

Some incredible weather down in the Western Med over the past 24-48 hours, one Storm it seems was a Right moving Supercell which hit Mallorca. Some incredible Rain Totals, Photos and Video Footage

Palma (Capital) was hit by one of the Tornadoes

Rainfall Rates

Muro (Mallorca) 562.6mm per hour

Pollenca (Mall) 731.5mm per hour

Inca (Mallorca) 758.0mm per hour

Sounding shows very strong veering and masses of deep layer shear suggesting conditions were favourable for Supercells and Tornadoes to Form

Some Pictures and Videos

http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/2695/foto3uy2.jpg

http://www.20minutos.es/galeria/3091/0/10/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82QNXaUY3zM

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=ykEVOVtp4mc

Wish I had kept an eye out for this, as flights down there are on £30

Paul Sherman

[johnholmes]

had something not that different whilst moored up in Venice a week or so ago.

The rainfall was sufficient to close the airport for 3 hours and for all vaporettis etc(water taxies) to be banned from trying to use the jetties alongside St Marks Square for the whole morning. A combination of torrential rain for 3-5 hours and high tides. Much of Venice, the city, not the tourist area, was under 12-18 inches of water.

Did not see any signs of tornadoes but winds were extremely gusty with rainfall for spells of 10 mins at a time that was probably the heaviest I've ever seen, even in the Tropics.

Edited October 6, 2007 by johnholmes

[Sharkbait]

My parents text me from Benidorm saying how they had torrential rain and thunder on Thursday with shops flooded

[Nick F]

Yes an impressive looking supercell there looking at the pictures and video footage, would have been fun watching that roll in over the Bay, though that tornado looked rather hairy going through that built up area (not somewhere you'd want to be caught out in) - looks like it did a fair bit of damage too.

Spanish Radar image below not brilliant, as apparently a Balearics radar isn't available, but you can see the bright colours between Ibiza and Majorca (at the far right), this is the supercell and looks like it was a 'tail-end charlie' development too - possibly right moving away from the main MCS which was drifting North, as Paul mentions:

Satellite image of Spain shows nicely the large MCS off Eastern Spain, the embedded supercell in the SE side of the storm system:

... more of a close up image:

Estofex only had a Level 1 that day (6z Thurs to 06z Fri) but mentions the threat of supercells and tornadoes not being ruled out:

Storm Forecast

Valid: Thu 04 Oct 2007 06:00 to Fri 05 Oct 2007 06:00 UTC

Issued: Wed 03 Oct 2007 20:40

Forecaster: GATZEN

SYNOPSIS

The two weakening cut-off lows over Iberian Peninsula and southern Turkey remain. In the range of both troughs, instability has significantly increased during the last day. Latest Palma de Mallorca sounding indicates more than 1500 J/kg CAPE. A well-mixed warm air mass originating from the Atlas and moist maritime air mass in the boundary layer lead to this instability. Small troughs slowly propagate eastward over North and Baltic Sea region, while high geopotential is present over central Scandinavia and British Isles.

DISCUSSION

West Mediterranean

Another strong southerly jet streak enters the west Mediterranean. In the lee of the Atlas, a surface low pressure is expected over southwest Mediterranean, and low-level winds are expected to remain east in the relatively cool but moist boundary layer. This results in strong deep- and low-level vertical wind shear with 30-40 m/s 0-6 km shear, 7-12 m/s 0-1 km shear, and 100-400 J/kg 0-3 km storm relative helicity. Instability is likely, but strong capping inversion will be also present especially at the eastern flank of the jet streak. Near the Balearic Islands, capping will be weaker in the range of a frontal boundary and colder mid-levels. Chance for initiation is best underneath the cyclonic flank of the jet streak where some DCVA is forecast. Thunderstorms will likely organize and supercells are forecast to develop. Large hail and damaging wind gusts are expected with the stronger cells, and a few tornadoes are also not ruled out.

[Mammatus]

Thanks for posting the Links Paul, what a storm! Ive been to the Balearic Islands many times, to see pictures/footage like that in these parts of the world is quite shocking. Like you Paul, I would have loved to have been there especially considering flights are so cheap. Could have hired a car out for the day for £20 aswell As Nick said above, imagine watching this roll in towards you from the southwest across the Bay.

Thanks again Paul, great links there. I was going to Pm you Paul regarding the 2008 Storm Chase in America. I will be coming (If there's space left) just sorting out finances etc, will pm you this evening.

Mammatus

[Paul Sherman]

No worries Gav, will be around all evening, like you say the £30 flights on Sleazyjey from Luton is a Bitter Pill to Swallow, could have been down there in 1h 20Mins as well Was checking Estofex all last week as well, did'nt bother at the end of the week. That would have been worth £100 of anyone money to experience that.

Paul S

[johnholmes]

reading the post by Nick F above and his quote that Estofax only had a Level 1 warning out simply reinforces my view that they are not all they are cracked up to be in some quarters.

For an event as large on the scale as the videos etc shown by Paul S one would have imagined that all the detail was there, before the event, to have given a better warning than they seem to have done.

Edited October 6, 2007 by johnholmes

[Lightning Hunter]

Italy/Sardinia/Corsica in the firing line now I see, some huge multicells all over that area right now, wouldn't be suprised to see more supercells too. ESTOFEX have a level 2 out btw.

[Nick F]

reading the post by Nick F above and his quote that Estofax only had a Level 1 warning out simply reinforces my view that they are not all they are cracked up to be in some quarters.

For an event as large on the scale as the videos etc shown by Paul S one would have imagined that all the detail was there, before the event, to have given a better warning than they seem to have done.

I think the problem may lie with the fact that it is an organisation run on a voluntary basis, and without funding, relies on the free data available to all of us, I have never once seen the forecast discussions talk of analysis of Mesoscale data provided by UKMO for example, rather they always seem to talk of GFS model output - which isn't always on the ball for mesoscale convection potential, and use of the well scattered soundings over Europe

There was the day before (06z Weds to 06z Thurs) a Level 2 for the East coastal areas of mainland Spain however, and for the day before that a Level 2 area over SW and SE Spain:

http://estofex.org/cgi-bin/polygon/showforecast.cgi?list=yes

Why they didn't do a forecast update on Thursday with a Level 2 like they often do when things change to their original forecast, we may never know I guess.

Estofex as a result a different league to the NOAA SPC convective outlooks for the US (see link below), they are of course a good tool when looking at the general picture for convective potential over Europe, but often they fall when it comes to accuracy. The NOAA SPC obviously alot more reliable over in the US, and it needs to be with a higher occurence of severe outbreaks, so the SPC forecasters are full time and paid to do those forecasts and have access to data European forecasters could only dream of:

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/

[Hodgheg]

Wow what an amazing storm. wish i would have been there to see it!

[Norrance]

Wow what an amazing storm. wish i would have been there to see it!

I can give an eyewitness account of the storm in Majorca having just returned from a week in Alcudia in the North of the island. Unfortunately no pics but all you would have seen was water with visibility reduced to about 50 yards at the peak of the storm. There could have been tornadoes nearby but you would never have known until after the event. Locals say they have seen nothing like it over such a widespread area in the last 40 years.

After three days of warm mostly sunny weather Wednesday turned cloudy and ended with an evening thunderstorm with most lightning in the hills and out to sea but some closeby. Most were cloud to cloud but some could be seen striking the ground and buildings nearby. Thundery showers continued overnight and into Thursday morning, some accompanied by a gusty wind. By afternoon the sun came out and my family enjoyed an afternoon at the poolside. By 5 pm threatening clouds were appearing and we retreated to our balcony to watch what was already looking like a belter of a storm approaching.

The first drops of rain seemed relatively innocuous with light winds, though suddenly it got as dark as we would usually expect after 8 pm and the first thunder could be heard. A few minutes later the lightning and thunder were nearby and out of nowhere a storm force wind appeared. Chairs and tables flew into the pool and the sound of crashing glass could be heard. The local kitten [adopted by my daughter] hared across the grass and into a guests apartment. We overlooked a lake and all we could see was a wall of water being blown off the near end. Two mature trees in the next garden blew down and a glass balcony wall from an apartment above came crashing down. I had to pull my kids back from the edge of the balcony as though we were side on to the wind direction constant lightning could be seen in the cloud and rain, though due to the general noise it was impossible to hear or identify individual strikes or flashes. The storm lasted for an hour and a half though the winds were not constantly as high. One large hotel nearby had to evacuate the top two floors as part of the roof blew off and flooding was extensive. In the aftermath the nearby lake and canals were filled with debris and even dead fish. The normally busy streets were mostly deserted and all the bar and restaurant owners were left cleaning up the mess and broken glass having been caught out by the suddenness of the onslaught of the winds.

The local press were full of stories about it and though I cannot read Spanish I could see windspeeds of over 110Km per hour reported plus [windsheer?] higher gusts and several reported tornadoes, particularly near Inca and in Palma itself. Apparently the local English newspaper had 5 pages about the storm but I could not find a copy by the time I was told about it.

Altogether one that I will always remember as despite having seen a few good storms in the Med, the Alps, North America and even in the UK, I have never witnessed one that struck so quickly with a combination of wind, rain and lightning.

Edited October 7, 2007 by Norrance

[mettalfabrik]

metars from that evening issued one after the other too, devoleped very quick

==================================================

ICAO : LEPA

Station Name : Palma De Mallorc

Country : Spain

Location : 39-32N 002-43E

Elevation : 8m

Time : 04/10/2007 16:00:00

Temperature : 25.0°C / 77.0°F

Dew Point : 18.0°C / 64.4°F

RH : 65%

Wind : ENE (60 degrees) at 9 mi/h

Visibility : > 10000m

Pressure : 1014.9 mb

Sky Condition : Few clouds at 2000ft, Scattered clouds at 5000ft, Broken clouds at 10000ft

Weather : Rain with Thunderstorm

Remarks :

METAR : LEPA 041500Z 06008KT 9999 FEW020 SCT050 BKN100 25/18 Q1015 TEMPO 3000 TSRA

==================================================

==================================================

ICAO : LEPA

Station Name : Palma De Mallorc

Country : Spain

Location : 39-32N 002-43E

Elevation : 8m

Time : 04/10/2007 16:30:00

Temperature : 24.0°C / 75.2°F

Dew Point : 19.0°C / 66.2°F

RH : 74%

Wind : SSW (200 degrees) at 32 mi/h, 61 mi/h gusts

Visibility : 5000m

Pressure : 1019.0 mb

Sky Condition : Few clouds at 1000ft, Few Cumulonimbus clouds at 1800ft, Broken clouds at 12000ft

Weather : Rain with Thunderstorm

Remarks :

METAR : LEPA 041530Z 20028G53KT 5000 TSRA FEW010 FEW018CB BKN120 24/19 Q1019 NOSIG

==================================================

==================================================

ICAO : LEPA

Station Name : Palma De Mallorc

Country : Spain

Location : 39-32N 002-43E

Elevation : 8m

Time : 04/10/2007 16:35:00

Temperature : 22.0°C / 71.6°F

Dew Point : 16.0°C / 60.8°F

RH : 69%

Wind : SSW (210 degrees) at 49 mi/h, 68 mi/h gusts

Visibility : 1000m

Pressure : 1019.0 mb

Sky Condition : Few clouds at 1000ft, Few Cumulonimbus clouds at 1800ft, Broken clouds at 12000ft

Weather : Rain with Thunderstorm

Remarks :

METAR : LEPA 041535Z 21043G59KT 1000 R24L/P2000 TSRA FEW010 FEW018CB BKN120 22/16 Q1019NOSIG

==================================================

==================================================

ICAO : LEPA

Station Name : Palma De Mallorc

Country : Spain

Location : 39-32N 002-43E

Elevation : 8m

Time : 04/10/2007 16:37:00

Temperature : 17.0°C / 62.6°F

Dew Point : 15.0°C / 59.0°F

RH : 88%

Wind : SW (230 degrees) at 56 mi/h, 69 mi/h gusts

Visibility : 500m

Pressure : 1020.0 mb

Sky Condition : Few clouds at 1000ft, Few Cumulonimbus clouds at 1800ft, Broken clouds at 12000ft

Weather : Rain with Thunderstorm

Remarks :

METAR : LEPA 041537Z 23049G60KT 0500 R24L/0500V2000D TSRA FEW010 FEW018CB BKN120 17/15 Q1020 NOSIG

==================================================

==================================================

ICAO : LEPA

Station Name : Palma De Mallorc

Country : Spain

Location : 39-32N 002-43E

Elevation : 8m

Time : 04/10/2007 16:39:00

Temperature : 15.0°C / 59.0°F

Dew Point : 13.0°C / 55.4°F

RH : 88%

Wind : WSW (250 degrees) at 46 mi/h, 60 mi/h gusts

Visibility : 500m

Pressure : 1019.0 mb

Sky Condition : Few clouds at 200ft, Few Cumulonimbus clouds at 500ft, Overcast at 1000ft

Weather : Rain with Thunderstorm

Remarks :

METAR : LEPA 041539Z 25040G52KT 0500 R24L/0225V2000D TSRA FEW002 FEW005CB OVC010 15/13 Q1019 NOSIG

==================================================

==================================================

ICAO : LEPA

Station Name : Palma De Mallorc

Country : Spain

Location : 39-32N 002-43E

Elevation : 8m

Time : 04/10/2007 16:41:00

Temperature : 14.0°C / 57.2°F

Dew Point : 13.0°C / 55.4°F

RH : 94%

Wind : W (260 degrees) at 23 mi/h, 37 mi/h gusts

Visibility : 200m

Pressure : 1017.9 mb

Sky Condition : Few clouds at 200ft, Few Cumulonimbus clouds at 500ft, Overcast at 1000ft

Weather : Rain with Thunderstorm

Remarks :

METAR : LEPA 041541Z 26020G32KT 0200 R24L/0225V2000D TSRA FEW002 FEW005CB OVC010 14/13 Q1018 NOSIG

==================================================

==================================================

ICAO : LEPA

Station Name : Palma De Mallorc

Country : Spain

Location : 39-32N 002-43E

Elevation : 8m

Time : 04/10/2007 16:56:00

Temperature : 18.0°C / 64.4°F

Dew Point : 18.0°C / 64.4°F

RH : 100%

Wind : SSW (210 degrees) at 7 mi/h

Visibility : 800m

Pressure : 1016.9 mb

Sky Condition : Few clouds at 500ft, Few Cumulonimbus clouds at 1000ft

Weather : Rain with Thunderstorm

Remarks :

METAR : LEPA 041556Z 21006KT 0800 R24L/P2000 R06R/P2000 R24R/P2000 TSRA FEW005 FEW010CBOVC020 18/18 Q1017 NOSIG

==================================================

Edited October 7, 2007 by blackdown

[Nick F]

Thanks for the account Norrance, sounded rather nasty.

A few more videos have appeared showing the strength of the storm. First clip shows the structure of the approaching supercell - particularly the shelf cloud and gust front - also notice the frequency of lightning too! The last clip looks like the tornado ... a bright flash near the ground I presume to be electricity cables short circuiting as they are whipped around.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vpORXlW5Y8U

[Norrance]

Thanks for the account Norrance, sounded rather nasty.

A few more videos have appeared showing the strength of the storm. First clip shows the structure of the approaching supercell - particularly the shelf cloud and gust front - also notice the frequency of lightning too! The last clip looks like the tornado ... a bright flash near the ground I presume to be electricity cables short circuiting as they are whipped around.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vpORXlW5Y8U

Thanks for posting the links from You tube. That second one showed what it was like and how dark it got bearing in mind that the worst was between 5 and 6pm. The storm struck Palma earlier and moved North across the whole island. The lightning in the clouds all around was just like what we witnessed.

Edited October 7, 2007 by Norrance

[johnholmes]

yes some storm for sure.

looking at the Metars from LEPA with visibility in fog limits for quite a while which is not something seen that often due to rain, along with the gusts they quoted.

[M'Lady]

Quite amazing images on the links.

Gosh!

[Hodgheg]

take a look at this

http://www.homesworldwide.co.uk/europe/spa...news_id=0047468

There calling it a hurricane! i thought a company like that would be trying to get people to go to spain not put them off lol

[Nick F]

take a look at this

http://www.homesworldwide.co.uk/europe/spa...news_id=0047468

There calling it a hurricane! i thought a company like that would be trying to get people to go to spain not put them off lol

Oh dear, a rather mis-informed report on that website calling it a hurricane - when it was a storm that bared none of the mechanics specific to hurricanes, just because the winds may have reached hurricane force doesn't automatically classify it as a hurricane

That's worse than calling a tornado 'mini' - I find it so infuriating the mis-use of meteorological terms by gutter reporting.

[Cookie]

some great links thier. sounds scary, but also fun in a way

[ballybabe12]

Hi guys, have just this minute got back from Alcudia and I experienced the storm on thursday first hand. I do have some video and I will get my tech minded partner to post them on tuesday for you all to see. It was the scariest thing I have experienced and at the same time amazing fun.

[Hodgheg]

Theres another vidio showing the storm and at the end a bolt of lightning strikes from the anvil. probably positive lightning.

[Hodgheg]

Sorry forget to add a link

[willinkent]

I lived in mallorca in the 1980's and remember thunderstorms that left so many trees down. They were fab storms with lightening flashing all over palma in the sky (2-4 hrs of lightening ever second or more!!!). I lived in son vida and we could see they whole bay of palma, we had direct lightening strikes on our house and remember chandeliers swaying due to the force. Best stormsi have ever witnessed apart from peoria illinois in 2006 when i witnessed my first birth of a tornado.

Ohhhhh my childhood..... I do love da weather

[Cookie]

great link jhon!