So my phone has just buzzed an alert from the area. Heavy rain and high winds are imminent in the region. Schools will be closed the next two days,along with parks, cemeteries and other public places. People are advised to keep off the streets and stay home in Valencia Province among others neighbouring.
A cold front is meeting very warm temperatures here (27 )both on the coast and the warm Mediterranean Sea.. we have had this phenomenon before with very serious consequences: loss of lives and flooded areas causing blockages and erosion damage. Thr last occasion was scandalous as the public weren’t warned in sufficient time. Now alerts are on tv, radio and individual phones.
We have already done a big walk as we may be restricted to the garden for a while. The storm forecast is possibly to last for 5 days!
Stay safe @Highfive - and please keep us updated on how you are. I hope the weather is less impactful for everyone than expected. I’ve added the location of the alert to the title of your discussion, and moved the discussion to “meet ups and travel” just in case anyone else is in the area.
Do you have any special plans in place while this alert is in place? It sounds like a big walk was a good idea while you had the opportunity.
For me the big needs are Food and home comforts!! Shopping will last me till the owners return in 5 days time, the dog has food and treats(!) We have done a lot of uphill walking so a day off from that will be fine.
The owners have a detailed welcome guide file with names and phone numbers of neighbours so I’m happy sitting tight.
It’s times like these I worry more about the homeless: the rains could last through the night too.
The local church is aware of local needs and a support system is in place for homeless and hungry in the area.
It’s a time for counting one’s blessings. Thanks for your message Jenny. Friends are everything at times like these.
Stay safe @Highfive. Sounds like you’re well prepared and have backup if needed, providing they can reach you. Hope your dog is not frightened in this.
Thanks so much for the encouragement@ temba. I’ve been in situations like this and although the Home Owners are very thorough and experienced in providing a detailed Welcome Guide, I did ask for the key to operate the electric gates should there be a power cut . This happened to me before so I was ready for the possibility.
On that occasion the owners were also in Kenya and on safari.. so difficult to get hold of by internet. It all worked out and I got a great review too. Stepping up to unexpected emergencies is all part of this challenging “ holiday opportunity “ lol.
We did a sit in Valencia earlier in that same year that the last really bad storm hit. I know it shouldn’t be as bad as then, but maybe get some tins of food in for the owners and extra water if they rely on bottled water, just in case.
We’ll be down the coast in Alicante in November, but Valencia typically gets hit far worse.
Thanks Maggie8K. This sit seemed like paradise when I arrived ! Well it’s autumn and the rains are needed for sure. The problem is intensity and distribution.. some places cannot cope with large quantities all at once.
I lived in the United Arab Emirates for 6 years and the roads and schools didn’t have good drainage so schools closed for rain days ; something unlikely in UK!
Better not taking risks as situations can worsen so quickly. There has already been coverage of flooding near Barcelona.
It’s called the cold drop here La gota fria, where hot air meets a cold front and moisture is absorbed quickly then dropped in heavy sustained rainfall. We have no control of when or where in such circumstances.. scary times.
I hope it’s not as bad as predicted, and yes it was awful last time. You are sensible. Keep yourselves safe and I hope it passes soon without the loss of lives like the last time
Stay safe @Highfive and I hope the weather is kinder than forecast.
It’s a great idea to be prepared by asking for the key for the electric gates in case of a power cut. We have done a few sits with electric gates and always make sure we know what to do in case of a power cut. One sit has an alternative, slightly off road but manageable alternative access / exit. At another, the gates managed to close in the wrong order one day when one became stuck on gravel and then freed itself. It then couldn’t reopen as the first gate to open was stuck behind the one that opens second. Younger son had to enter the garden by a more adventurous route to get the tool from the house to unlatch the gates from the mechanism so that they could be opened manually. These experiences definitely help you be prepared!
Thanks everyone on your encouraging support. The night passed well. Thunder and lightning but not a lot of rain here. It hasn’t been straightforward for some other areas and I was asked to report back so I leave some details here.
