The Valencia DANA: meteorological notes and the geography of risk

Abstract

An isolated high altitude depression (DANA) can bring torrential rainfall to the Spanish Mediterranean coast, especially in autumn. The tragic events of 29 October 2024 in Valencia are considered herein. The synoptic situation is analysed, surface and 5,500 m back trajectories are constructed, and the spatial distribution of precipitation is presented, with emphasis on the 184.6 mm of rain which fell in one hour, a record for Spain, in Turís. This notwithstanding, the episode did not differ synoptically from other notable events which have caused casualties and material damage, such as the great flood of October 1957 in the city of Valencia. The catastrophe of 29 October 2024, with nearly 230 deaths, was meteorologically extraordinary, yet its devastating effects were largely due to the population’s high exposure, lack of risk awareness, inappropriate land use due to the absence of urban and territorial planning, and catastrophic shortcomings in emergency management.