After a stormy weekend in the Balearics, there is no let-up in sight: as storm Ingrid moves away, storm Joseph arrives, bringing more strong winds to Mallorca.
Monday’s alerts
The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) issued yellow alerts for Monday 26 January:
- Wind: gusts of up to 80 km/h in the Serra de Tramuntana and the north and north-east of Mallorca until midday, with gusts above 100 km/h possible on peaks and capes. The wind was expected to ease in the afternoon to moderate westerlies.
- Coastal: waves of up to three metres along the entire coast until midday.
The 112 emergency service urged people to take care and avoid coastal areas.
Tuesday
Unsettled conditions continue on Tuesday, with a new yellow alert for gusts of 70–80 km/h from 2pm. Skies will be cloudy to overcast, with isolated showers that could become stormy at night, with small hail. Temperatures will rise slightly. Some ferry crossings were expected to be cancelled.
Weekend damage
Between 6pm on Sunday and 6am on Monday, the 112 emergency coordination centre dealt with 83 incidents: 53 in Ibiza and 30 in Mallorca. They included:
- fallen trees, most of them in Ibiza;
- trees blocking roads;
- falling street furniture and other objects;
- spills on roads;
- interruptions to basic services;
- rockfalls and landslides.
The port of Ibiza was closed until 10.30pm on Sunday. By Monday morning, almost all the incidents had been resolved.
On the mainland, heavy goods vehicles were held up by the wind, disrupting deliveries, and shipping in the Balearics was also affected.
Safety advice
During wind alerts, emergency services recommend:
- avoiding seafronts, breakwaters and cliffs;
- securing objects on balconies and terraces;
- staying away from trees, scaffolding and loose structures;
- driving carefully, especially in high-sided vehicles;
- checking with ferry companies before travelling.
A stormy winter
January brought a succession of named storms to the western Mediterranean, keeping emergency services busy and causing repeated disruption to sea crossings between the islands and the mainland.
