What is up with all this RAIN!

I know we need it to replenish the aquifer but it has rained EVERY day for a week now...........We need to see the sun.......and Madrid drivers SUCK at driving in the rain......lol

The sun? Oh, that light on the sky...

It's true! It's been raining like crazy all over Spain! Look at the floods in Pontevedra! Just saw the new of this near catastrophe this morning. WOW!

Drivers who aren't accustomed to driving in any weather go into shock whenever raindrops/snowflakes fall. Makes me, a midwestern United Statesen boy, chuckle - but only because I'm not stuck in those traffic jams for hours.

I say, LET IT RAIN all month long! I'll work around it - but must admit I've hardly left home since it started BECAUSE of the rain.

Yesterday before lunch I had a very pleasant 2-hour stroll through Madrid's Retiro Park from under a large umbrella so it didn't matter much but it was SO nice and smelled so good.

UPDATE: Just saw the weather report and, at least here in Madrid, it's going to rain through Thursday.

Saludos, MadridMan

I've been coming to Madrid ever since 1990 and it traditionally rains in October. Ok, so it sometimes only lasts 2 or 3 days, but it's very regular in its mid-October arrival spot.

I heard on yesterdays news that it hasn't rained this much in October (in Madrid?) since 1960. And looks like we're going to break THAT record too as it's expected to rain more today, tomorrow, and Thursday!

Galicia has been hit HARD as has some regions near Seville! I saw another report that Guadalajara (not too far from Madrid) had a Roman Bridge swept away in the torrent. What a shame! Those things don't come down easily!

But it all really is incredible. Saludos, MadridMan

You're kidding me! I can't believe that. Maybe it's true, but I'm a little skeptical, I have to admit. I can recall some pretty rainy Octobers.

In any event, I'm with you 100%, LET IT RAIN. Forgive me MedicalMan . I know it must be tough for you out in Majadahonda where using your car is a necessity, but this rain is needed and more.

As of Saturday, the reservoirs were on average at 39% their capacity. If it doesn't rain at this time of year, we're stuck with the need for it to snow in the winter and rain in the spring.

Spain's going through its worst drought in 70 years. The last time it rained in Madrid seriously was last April! That means we've gone through at least 150 days without anyserious rainfall, so I think a week isn't that bad.

But it's funny, because MedicalMan is not alone in his complaint. I've heard plenty of Spaniard's sort of half-welcome the rain. They like it but say, "Why can't it rain just at night?"

Murdy........I'm not complaining. I know we need some serious rain to make up for the drought. I don't have to water my grass, so I'm saving money. I wish most drivers would SLOW down in all this rain though. Seems like you take your life in your hands when you get on the freeways here in the rain. I have been driving like everyone is out to get me this past week....and it has saved me from a few idiots this past week.

I definitely agree with you there, MedicalMan. And the minute a few drops fall in Madrid, traffic comes to a complete standstill. I know you weren't complaining in a serious way, and sorry if I made it sound that way. And even if you had been, it would be understandable. I happy about the rain, but it can get on my nerves too. At school the kids are going nuts because every time it's time for recess, what do you know, a downpour comes around, and they can't go out!!

Anyone here in Spain see the video this morning of the fast-moving RIVER waters and mud through the city streets of La/A Coruña? WOW! They said entire populations of berberechos and other molluscs have suffocated under the mud. This is devasting for Galicia, another disaster for the already struggling region after the Prestige oil spill, vast forest fires, and now this. ARGH!!! Rain is great but so much so fast isn't good at all!

Saludos, MadridMan

I have friends visiting from the U.S. and we went to El Escorial, Avila and Segovia today. Battled the rain but Avila is BEAUTIFUL draped in all the clouds. It was actually very cold there today as well. I have not seen the video from Galicia but if they have gotten a lot more rain than we have here in Madrid, I can imagine the rivers are at or above flood stage.

Did anyone experience the downpour in the middle of Madrid at around 12:45 today? UN-BELIEVABLE! One minute it was calm, the next I knew I could barely see out the window!

I did, Murdy! It was really incredible, eh? I was at the gym, having walked there WITHOUT my umbrella because it wasn't raining when I left home, and I heard this loud roard outside. When I looked out the windows I, like you, could barely see anything! And I thought, "Oh my goodness. I might as well swim home!" But luckily, by the time I left it had stopped raining completely. Got home, thought, "THIS might be my ONLY time to wash clothes" so I did, hung them upstairs on the terraza at about 4pm, checked them at 7:30pm and many were still damp so I left them there. AT NINE O'CLOCK (or thereabouts) I HEARD THE RAIN AGAIN and ran upstairs to take down the once-dry-now-wet clothes. UGH! Now, as I type this at 8:335am the next morning, I have clothing draped all over the house and most things are dry. And with cooler temperatures and damp air, of course, it takes MUCH longer for the clothes to dry. Oh, how we're (in the USA, for the most part) spoiled with our clothes dryers.

Right now, at this moment, on Channel 1 TVE "La Primera", they're saying that, for the moment, it has stopped raining in Galicia but the work continues to remove the mud. Some "experts" on the beach were talking about the berberechos and how there may not be a "crop" available for the Christmas holiday season - a popular time in Spain to eat/buy them. Today, they now say, it'll still rain in many parts of Spain but after today it should stop for at least a few days. I read yesterday that in Madrid it's going to get up to almost 80ºF!! (wow, the woman announcing the morning weather on TVE is REALLY something)

Saludos, MadridMan

I can remember pretty strong storms when I was a child (oh... that makes me sound as an ancient... :p ).

What was not normal were the last three years. Madrid has a continental climate, which means extreme temperatures in summer (42ºC) and winter (-5ºC).

Let it rain for a couple of days! The Sun will shine brighter when it's over

Fernando

I too being coming to Madrid steady since 1989 and previously lived in 1970-1972. the rains lately are too much all over and the the traffic does gets worse in the rain.
Maybe we should let rain in the country and not in the cities?ja ja ja

Well, the rain is back and going to stay with us for a few more days on the extended forecast. Hopefully this will start to alieviate the drought somewhat.

Here in Granada it was raining CATS AND DOGS while I was strolling the hills of the Albaycín yesterday afternoon and got back to my hostel "damp" from the knees down. There was a virtual river going down my street on the Cuesta de Gómerez - the hill which goes up to the Alhambra. Today it may NOT rain in Granada for a change and hope for the same Monday when I go to the Alhambra.

Saludos, MadridMan

OK, I have to admit, I'm getting a liiiiitle sick and tired of this rain. This time the rian started Thursday p.m. and basically did not stop until Sunday a.m. Yes, I know I said we need it, but I wouls like to propose it be more evenly distributed throughout the year!!!

The reservoirs, by the way, are at 45%, which means they have gone up some 8 percentage points in just a few weeks. That's a lot of water. They levels should continue to rise in the next few days. And with any luck, the snows this winter will help even more. So, we still aren't out of the dire situation yet, but we are certainly heading in the right direction.

I´ve just read a very interesting report contradicting what appears to be a UN based effort to convince us that global warming is causing climatic change.

For those interested here is the link

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/11/05/nosplit/nwarm05.xml

Very interesting article, Jamongris. I have been following this subject informally for some time, and one thing is clear, no matter how much we are told that the temperatures are rising and that Man is at fault, there is a lot of evidence that at least suggests that those assertions are far from conclusive. Temperatures have risen somewhat, that's true. But how much and what the actual cause is has yet to be fully determined. there are some that even say northern Europe may be heading for an Ice Age. I think there was a report on that in the BBC. Did you see it?

No I missed that one Murdy. Was it on BBC world or one of the other channels ?

Climate change is interesting, and I also like statistics (I can almost feel people skipping the rest of this post now). So when I see a report suggesting that climate change is not as severe as is generally being reported, it´s interesting to see how statistics have been changed and manipulated to back up pet theories.

There´s a very good book called "How to lie with statistics" by Darrell Huff which is far more interesting than I am on the subject.

More rain here all day today and forecast for tomorrow too !

Yesterday at the Alhambra it was rather beautiful, partly sunny, partly cloudy with perfect temperatures. Today at the Alhambra, raining nearly constantly and ALWAYS cloudy. Thank goodness I took dozens of photos yesterday because I didn't/couldn't take a single one today.

Poor travelers. I feel for the the locals but at least, for them, it's a very "temporary" condition, getting wet, a little, only when they go outside. For travelers, they're outside nearly the whole day, taking advantage of the few, precious hours they have in one place or another, like all those people who had reservations for the Alhambra today - they were determined to see what they came to see. Gotta respect that. As "insurance", I bought THREE single-day tickets to the Alhambra for 3 of my 8 days here in Granada and look, IT RAINITED DURING TWO OF THOSE THREE DAYS so only during ONE of them could I take decent photos. So in this case, the insurance was well-spent; nearly 33 Euros spent for 11 Euros worth of photos (10.88 Euros per day).

Mojado en Granada, MadridMan

It's back. It wasn't gone for long, I'm afraid, but if it's of any comfort, the reservoirs continue to fill up!

Jamongris, I'm not sure which channel it was on because I didn't actually see it myself. I heard about it in some article. I think some of the predictions claimed Great Britain would be buried under a wall of ice, so I guess there was a good reason for the BBC to want to bring this to the public's attention. Therefore...start buying up property in Almeria while the prices are still decent!!

But you're right, we are straying from the original thread. Anyway, if anyone in Madrid is considering moving to Galicia, this is the kind of weather you could expect to find...until, say, March.

Reservoir levels for the Comunidad de Madrid as of today: 46.11 %

Murdy........The reservoir levels are good news. Maybe our water bills will go down a bit now......probably not...lol

That's right, MedicalMan. It's just like gas prices. And as of today, Nov. 12, the levels are at 51.48%. Anyone wishing to keep updated can check with the Canal Isabel II website:

www.cyii.es

It's been quite warm for this time of year? When can we expect the first snow?

Still none on the Sierra to the North of Madrid, but temperatures will drop at the weekend.

The forecast maximum at the moment in Madrid on Sunday is 12ºC, which means it will be freezing at around 8,000 ft amsl so a sprinkling on the highest bits is possible.

Murdy, I checked that website and it´s interesting. I live near the embalse at Pedrezuela and if you pick that one out they say it´s beyond 80% full. It certainly doesn´t look it though, in fact on Saturday just after the latest rainfall we had low pressure in our taps due to lack of water again !

Tomorrow, they say, much of the peninsula will have rain. What a surprise! At least we had a few days of clear skies. FILL THOSE RESERVOIRS!!!

Saludos, MadridMan

Seems, for the time being, we're coming to the end of the rainy period. THAT WAS SHORT! Unlike in other parts of the world (mine) central Spain doesn't get much rain during the winter months. We can only HOPE that there's A LOT OF SNOW (although not likely to have any/much in Madrid city) so that the meltwaters will help continue to fill the reservoirs.

Saludos, MadridMan

Was up at Soto del Real yesterday. There is a scattering of snow on some of the peaks in the Guardarramas. More rain predicted for the weekend, Friday night into Saturday

There was a lot of rain before I left and it's amazing that the resevoirs still haven't reached their full capacity. Oh well, time will tell and I hope it rain some more. I would hate to see Madrid live through a severe drought.

The average for capacity level for the Madrid reservoirs is now over 63%. In early October they were at about 38%, so that's a hellavuh a lot of rainfall for two months considering the city continues to consume large amounts on a daily basis regardless of whether it rains or not.

Many of the reservoirs are now at over 70% capacity (and several are above 80% and one above 90%), so things aren't too bad. I'd say it's pretty close to where they are supposed to be for this time of year. The forecast for much of the week is for off and on light rain, so maybe it will rise even further.

This positions Madrid well for the winter months where you can get quite a bit of snowfall in the mountains. You get very little in Madrid, as MadridMan correctly pointed out, but that's not important because where it needs to snow is in the mountains and that usually happens. In fact, it's typical to se those tops snowcapped through May.

But it never hurts to have a little more rain, as long as it's not on the 15th when I'm doing an outdoor Christmas market!!!

Murdy,

Thanks for the update and I hope that it won't rain during your outdoor Christmas market. I hope you sell a lot.

Have a great day,

Shawn

Thanks Shawn! I hope not either. This is our fourth year with this charity drive and so far we've been lucky. I'll have to keep to praying to "Nuestra Señora del Tiempo Seco"!!!

I don't know if it was just me, but that Autumn/Winter seemed to drag on and on. Lots of wet, cloudy days, (good for water levels), relatively cold temperatures. Anyway, the last week seems to have welcomed back the sun at last.

For those of you that are interested, I found a nice little free download callled weather watcher. Here's the link :

http://www.singerscreations.com/AboutWeatherWatcher.asp

It leaves a constantly updated temperature gauge in your toolbar if you wish, of any major worldwide cities and can also give you the latest satellite image as a wallpaper.

¡ESO DIGO YO!

That's what I say! "What's up with all this RAIN!?"

I was on my way last night to dinner on the other side of the neighborhood (to eat PULPO at a place near the Puente de Segovia :p ) with a message board member at about 8:40pm. We walked there because it's a nice, long-ish walk (for my United Statesen legs). It wasn't raining but the skies were dark & threatening.

When we were about 500 meters from the restaurant the wind whipped up and started to sprinkle. No big deal. THEN, about 30 seconds later it started to rain HARD and the strong wind made our umbrellas almost useless. The last 100 meters WE RAN and ducked into the restaurant JUST as the rain fell as if someone from above was dumping buckets of water on us. We could barely get in the door for all the people standing in the doorway, gawking at the rain. One girl was taking photos and I thought, "My goodness! This is almost a "normal" rain in my home state of Ohio!"

About 5 minutes later, when after finishing our first beers, the HALE started to fall and lots of it, about the size of a 1-Euro-cent coin, which isn't big by any means, but it came down for a good 15 minutes like that.

By 10pm or so, when we left, it was still raining lightly but never stopped all night long.

Woke up this morning, started watching TeleMadrid news at 9:30am when it comes on, and for the past hour now there has been NO NEWS OTHER THAN THAT ABOUT THE RAIN. Lots of train routes to Almería, Valencia, and Andalucía have been halted, local Madrid metro stations closed, lots of traffic jams, everyone getting to work late (or still not yet), and it's still raining!!!

I'm happy to get the rain, we really need it for the upcoming long, hard, hot summer but sheesh!

Saludos, MadridMan

it had better have stopped by sunday!

Why's that, billy the man?

oh yes sorry i forgot to tell all
its off to sunny costa blanca and benidorm for me

The Benidorm area forecast looks ok for rainfall from the weekend.

Madrid seems to be wet until Sunday. My favourite site for weather is :

http://euro.wx.propilots.net/

It looks more complicated than it is. Simply drop down the menu in the top left and under clouds and precipitation choose preciptation rate forecast 00 - 144 hrs. Then choose how far ahead you want to look, from the times along the top.

At the bottom of each image is the time for the image, followed by a Z. The Z stands for Zulu, which is the same as Greenwich Mean Time, and Spain is currently 2 hours ahead of that, ie 12Z = 14.00 hrs.

Hope you find that interesting and have a good holiday.

very nice find Jamongris thanks, not had time to study it yet, ive got the enviromental health in the morning ,so im having to tidy everything up to keep the firm open, but i shall certainly look more closely later on. thanks