Continued Weather Challenges at Palma Airport
Saturday, September 2nd, 2023
Palma Airport and Passengers Face Ongoing Disruptions
Palma Airport and its travellers have been enduring a challenging period recently. Just as the island was beginning to recover from a powerful storm that struck on Sunday, the 27th of August 2023, and the repercussions of disruptions in UK airspace on Monday, the 28th of August 2023, another bout of inclement weather has arrived in Spain and Mallorca on Saturday, the 2nd of September 2023.
Thus far, the storm has been relatively mild in comparison to last week and the Balearics are less badly affected than some areas on the Spanish mainland. While emergency services had to respond to a number of weather-related incidents in Mallorca over the last two days, none of these have resulted in significant damage or severe injuries. Nevertheless, air travel has once again been adversely affected, with large numbers of flights delayed and several cancellations attributed to “adverse weather,” and the count is still rising.
Understanding Mallorca’s Weather Phenomenon
At this time of year, Mallorca often encounters a few days of storms and heavy rainfall. This meteorological phenomenon is known as DANA (Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos), or “Isolated High-Level Depression” in English. Locally, it is also referred to as “gota fría”, which translates to “cold drop”. These weather events typically occur towards the end of summer when the sea remains warm, but there is a sudden drop in temperature in upper air currents. Warm, moisture-laden air rises and rapidly cools upon encountering these upper air currents. This often results in intense rainfall, frequently accompanied by strong winds, and sometimes even hail and thunderstorms.
What Lies Ahead?
Currently, the yellow alert for adverse weather, issued by The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet), remains in effect until the 5am on Monday, the 4th of September. Travellers and authorities are monitoring the situation closely, hoping for improved conditions in the near future.
