The UA Climatology Laboratory warns of approaching storms to the coast in the coming hours that will bring "very heavy rains"

The southern part of Alicante province is on red alert this Friday. Although the 'Alice' storm began the day with intense downpours in the northern territory, with accumulations of 110 litres in a few hours, it is expected to also impact the southern coast in the coming hours.

The Climatology Laboratory at the University of Alicante (UA) has warned that "currently we have intense storms forming at sea and approaching the coast." Some have already made landfall in Pilar de la Horadada, where according to the Valencian Meteorological Association (Avamet), more than 50 litres per square metre have fallen in an hour.

Climatology warns that "according to models, in the coming hours they will bring locally very heavy rains in parts of the province's coast and pre-coast." These storm cells have already reached other areas of the east, such as Cartagena, where they have poured over 100 litres forcefully.

The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) announced at midday that the storm cells "are already affecting the extreme south of Alicante" and the showers have begun to fall with "heavy and very heavy" intensity in the area of Pilar de la Horadada, Dehesa de Campoamor, and Torre de la Horadada. It is expected that in the coming hours they will make landfall in parts of Vega Baja and Bajo Vinalopó.

Emergency services maintain the red level in the south of the province, which will remain active until after midnight. The heaviest accumulations, which could reach up to 180 litres, are expected to occur in the afternoon and evening. The rest of the province remains on yellow alert inland and orange on the northern coast.

Meanwhile, the Generalitat and Government have coordinated a special monitoring device for the rains in the Segura basin, watching the ravines in Vega Baja for possible river and reservoir rises.

As for the rain in northern Alicante, significant accumulations have been recorded in just a few hours in municipalities such as Vall de la Gallinera, where over 110 litres per square metre have already been exceeded, or in Sagra, with accumulations exceeding 100 litres. Other localities like Vall d'Ebo or l'Orxa have surpassed 90 litres following very heavy rainfall, according to Avamet data.