Olcina-Cantos, Jorge (University Lecturer in Regional Geographic Analysis, Alicante University)
Rico-Amoros, Antonio (Assistant Lecturer in Regional Geographic Analysis, Alicante University)
The development of incidents of heavy rain showers towards the end of the yearly calendar (September-November) is characteristic of the climatic contitions in the Mediterranean coastal areas of the Iberian Peninsula. Such showers register high levels of rainfall in terms of quantity and often have catastrophic results for local inhabitants, causing overflowing and flooding of fluvial conducts (rivers, watercourses, streams and gullies). The analysis of such incidents which have occurred during this century highlight the importance of both the atmospheric situation of the medium and high levels of the troposphere and the genesis of low pressure configurations where barometric minimum is situated over the maritime sectors of Alboran-Argel (Argel lows). These, due to cyclonic rotation, stimulate the circulation of winds from north Africa which blow towards the peninsular Mediterranean front, favouring the genesis of mesoscale convective sets which are both extensive and active in the Western Mediterranean Basin. In this paper the atmospheric episodes of intensive rain which have occurred throughout this Century and had catastrophic effects on the economic activity of Southeast Spain are analysed. The presence of these variable low pressure systems in the lower level of the troposphere is usual in such episodes.