Sharp Rainfall Contrasts Across Metro Area
A new episode of intense, locally torrential rain affected parts of the Barcelona metropolitan region on Saturday 17 October, leaving up to 60 litres per square metre in the port area while nearby Fabra Observatory recorded almost none. The storm was driven by the approach of Dana Adam, a weather system bringing cold air into the upper atmosphere that met with the still-warm Mediterranean Sea, triggering convective storms. According to Meteocat, the regional meteorological service, rainfall was highly uneven. While the port of Barcelona recorded over 60 litres per square metre, the Fabra Observatory in the city's hills saw negligible precipitation, highlighting the hyper-local nature of the event.
Heavy Rain in Maresme, Baix Llobregat and Garraf
The worst-hit areas were Maresme, Baix Llobregat and Garraf. Storms that began in the northeast during the afternoon intensified in Maresme by evening, with some locations accumulating 50 to 70 litres per square metre in just minutes. In Sant Pere de Ribes (Garraf), rainfall exceeded 60 litres in 30 minutes, with a total of 84.2 mm recorded for the day according to Meteocat's automatic station data. Cabrils, in the Maresme comarca, saw exceptional intensity: 65.4 mm of rain in 30 minutes, 37.8 mm in 10 minutes and 5.7 mm in one minute, setting a new 10-minute rainfall record for the XEMA network.
Port and Barceloneta See Strongest Downpours in City
In Barcelona itself, the storm mostly skirted the city's maritime front. Barceloneta received around 10 litres per square metre, while the port area saw a more intense downpour exceeding 60 litres per square metre. The storm front produced a dramatic light and sound display across the city, with widespread lightning visible throughout the night.
Wind and Ongoing Monitoring
Winds reached 79.9 km/h at the southern entrance of the port at 22:16 on Saturday, according to Meteocat’s real-time data. While the immediate threat has passed, authorities continue to monitor conditions following the heavy rainfall, particularly in areas prone to flash flooding.
The storms have been much more localised compared to two weeks ago.
Meteocat data shows monthly rainfall totals remain high across the region, with Cabrils recording 361.5 mm for October 2026 so far, and Barcelona’s El Raval district at 301.1 mm.
Reported by beteve.cat, Servei Meteorològic de Catalunya. Generalitat de Catalunya, m.meteo.cat, ACN, Catalan News, democrata.es, spainnews.co.uk editorial team, diaricatalunya.cat, meteoribes.cat, eather33.com, betevé.
