Storm Nils brings winds of 160 km/h, more than 260 incidents and cancelled flights in the Balearic Islands
Aemet has issued warnings for coastal phenomena along the coasts of the entire archipelago.
PalmThe Balearic Islands' 112 Emergency Service handled a total of 267 incidents due to strong winds this Thursday, most of them in Mallorca.
Mallorca firefighters recorded 103 incidents this Thursday, 83 of which were handled by fire stations in Calvià, Inca, Manacor, Llucmajor, and Alcúdia. Most of the incidents involved fallen trees. Firefighters responded to fallen trees in Alcúdia and Mancor de la Vall, as well as a fallen lamppost on Germà Camil Street in Manacor. It's worth noting that the Emergency Services maintain an orange alert—corresponding to IG1 of the Meteobal Plan—for strong winds and coastal phenomena in the Balearic Islands. IG1 is activated when adverse weather conditions are forecast with a high probability of risk to people and property. This alert level anticipates a pre-alert for the mobilization of resources.
The wind has produced maximum gusts of 162 km/h in the Alfàbia mountain range, 105 km/h at Ibiza airport, and 102 km/h in Cabrera.
The storm has impacted maritime traffic. The ports of Menorca and Ibiza are closed until further notice due to strong gusts of wind, according to the Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB). All scheduled journeys to or from these ports have been canceled. In addition, the University of the Balearic Islands has suspended all outdoor activities due to the severity of the storm.
Delays at Palma Airport
Air traffic has also been affected, with several delays reported. According to information from Aena, consulted by Europa Press, Palma Airport has seen around ten delays in both departures and arrivals since early Thursday morning. The delays to Barcelona are particularly significant, with airlines reporting up to 44 canceled flights to Aena. At the airport, the average wind speed is 61 km/h and the maximum gust is 92.5 km/h. These conditions are expected to continue until 7:00 PM.
Incidents
Between midnight and 3:00 PM this Thursday, the day yellow and orange weather warnings for strong winds and coastal phenomena were in effect, 187 incidents were reported in Mallorca (85 in Palma, 17 in Inca, 14 in Calvià, and 11 in Alcú). In Calvià, the wind caused around twenty incidents, mainly related to fallen trees on the road and the risk of landslides. According to a statement from the City Council, a special operation was deployed to address the incidents that occurred over the past few hours. The reports focused on fallen trees, which caused partial road closures on Avenida del Rey Jaime I (Santa Ponça), Calle de Bonavida (in front of the Hotel Don Antonio), and Calle del Serral (Capdellà). Additionally, a tree fell on a vehicle on Gran Vía del Puig Tomir. In Ibiza, the 112 emergency service responded to 33 incidents (ten in Ibiza Town, six in Sant Joan, and six in Sant Josep); in Menorca, to 46 (31 of them in Mahón); and in Formentera, to one. Meanwhile, the Fire Prevention and Extinction and Rescue Service of the Consell de Eivissa (Island Council of Ibiza) responded to 25 incidents related to the wind up to 2:15 p.m. According to the island institution, 23 incidents involved technical assistance for fallen trees or signs, and two involved fires of pruning debris and similar materials, one of which was later called off. By municipality, seven incidents occurred in Santa Eulària; six in Ibiza Town and Sant Josep; four in Sant Antoni; and three in Sant Joan. The emergency response remains active while the alert is in effect, and residents are advised to continue exercising extreme caution.
By type, across all the islands, 60 incidents were handled due to risk of landslides; 59 due to risk of urban elements falling; 54 trees falling onto the road; 42 due to obstacles or liquid on the road; and 42 trees falling.
After Nils, Storm Oriana
The delegate of the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) in the Balearic Islands, María José Guerrero, explained that the storm caused by Nils will subside this Thursday afternoon, giving way to a few hours of improvement until a new, high-impact storm, named Oriana, brings rain, strong gusts of wind, and high waves. Storm Oriana will bring showers, which may be accompanied by thunderstorms and occasionally be heavy. This situation will continue through Saturday, although the rain will be more sporadic. Oriana will particularly affect Menorca, where a northerly wind is expected this Saturday, with gusts that could reach 100 kilometers per hour (km/h) and maximum waves of 12 meters. The storm will gradually move away from the Pitiusas Islands and Mallorca during the early hours of Sunday, although strong winds will continue in Menorca. Thus, partly cloudy skies and a temperature drop of up to 14 to 17 degrees are expected across all the islands that day.