The meteorological phenomenon known as dana or cold drop It left dozens dead and missing over the course of Tuesday and Wednesday in the east and southeast of Spain.
This is a phenomenon common in those latitudes during the fallalthough climate change is intensifying it, according to an expert from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
What is dana or cold drop?
Omar Baddour, head of Climate Monitoring of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)admitted that it is expected that climate change make these types of phenomena more intense because both seawater temperatures and atmospheric humidity increase.
“These elements (high sea temperature and atmospheric humidity), when they come into conflict with cold air, generate a isolated depression at high levels (known as dana or cold drop),” he added.
In an interview with EFE, the expert explained that the sudden heavy rain and flooding They are generated by the contrast of warm air near the surface, excessive humidity from the still warm Mediterranean Sea, and cold air in the upper atmosphere.
🇪🇸🛰️ | BREAKING NEWS: Satellite images showing before and after the passage of DANA in Valencia, Spain. pic.twitter.com/DXMMPguIsG
— Alerta Mundial (@AlertaMundoNews) October 30, 2024
When does dana or cold gout occur?
Autumn is the time where these potentially catastrophic events They are common, he added.
The latter, because the surface still maintains warm season temperatures that coexist with sudden invasions of cold at altitude from the polar regions.
“This generates what meteorologists call ‘cutting system’ with low pressure values that persist for several days and rotate over the region in question,” he added.
Baddour stressed that extreme rain conditions were also recently recorded in neighboring regions such as southeast France.
Vehicles piled up on a street in Sedaví, Valencia, after the intense rains due to dana or gota (Photo by EFE)
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Vehicles piled up on a street in Sedaví, Valencia, after the intense rains due to dana or gota (Photo by EFE)
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Dead and missing in Spain due to dana
Until the most recent report, the isolated depression at high levels that Spain suffers has already caused at least 95 dead, dozens missing and extensive damage.
That balance is for especially strong floods in the Valencian Community and in Castilla-La Manchafor which the Government will decree three days of mourning after the “cold drop of the century.”
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**Interview with Omar Baddour, Head of Climate Monitoring at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)**
**Editor:** Thank you for joining us today, Omar. Could you explain what a ’DANA’ storm is and why it’s particularly significant in the context of recent events in Spain?
**Omar Baddour:** Thank you for having me. A ‘DANA’, or ‘Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos’, is a meteorological phenomenon known in English as a cold drop. It’s characterized by an isolated depression in the upper atmosphere that leads to sudden and heavy rainfall. In Spain, especially during autumn, we see these systems develop when warm, humid air from the Mediterranean clashes with cold air descending from the poles. This year, particularly, we’ve witnessed catastrophic rainfall and flooding.
**Editor:** Can you tell us more about how climate change is influencing the intensity of these storms?
**Omar Baddour:** Certainly. Climate change is raising sea temperatures and atmospheric humidity. When these warmer conditions encounter cold air, the resulting instability can intensify such storms. Our research indicates that as these elements become more pronounced, we can expect DANA events to become increasingly severe.
**Editor:** What conditions make autumn particularly prone to these types of storms?
**Omar Baddour:** Autumn provides a unique combination of warm surface temperatures and cold air masses descending from higher altitudes. This conflict creates what meteorologists refer to as a ‘cutting system’ characterized by low pressure that can linger over a region for several days. The persistence of these systems allows for sustained heavy rainfall, contributing to extreme and sometimes tragic flooding events, as we’ve seen recently.
**Editor:** We’ve heard reports of extreme weather not just in Spain, but in neighboring regions. Can you elaborate on that?
**Omar Baddour:** Yes, that’s correct. The extreme weather patterns we observe in Spain are not isolated; they can affect neighboring areas, such as southeast France. Climate anomalies often lead to interconnected weather systems across borders, highlighting the importance of regional cooperation in weather monitoring and disaster response.
**Editor:** Thank you for shedding light on this crucial issue, Omar. Let’s hope for better preparedness and resilience in facing such weather phenomena in the future.
**Omar Baddour:** Thank you for the opportunity to share this information. It’s vital that we increase awareness and preparedness for these severe weather events.