Ramis, Clemente (Grup de Meteorologia. Universitat de les Illes Balears. Palma de Mallorca. Spain)
Lopez, Jose Manuel (Centre Meteorologic de Catalunya. Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia. Barcelona. Spain)
Arus, Joan (Centre Meteorologic de Catalunya. Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia. Barcelona. Spain)
On 24 August 1993 during the evening a squall line crossed Catalonia (northeastern corner of Spain) from West to East. The convective line produced heavy rain, up to 100 mm in one hour, and hail of up to 7 cm diametre, causing floods and damage on fruittrees, routs and railways. The meteorological situation in which the squall line developed is presented as well as the mechanisms acting in the triggering of severe convection. It is shown that the information provided by automatic weather stations, radar, satellite and lightning represent a quite good tool for monitoring the event and issuing an reasonable nowcasting.