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Scottish Sun
9 hours ago
- Climate
- Scottish Sun
Horror moment apocalyptic ‘Satan's Storm' hits Spain sparking tornadoes & sending tourists fleeing freak 104F heat burst
Shocking images show trees and plants strewn across the floor after being struck by the wild winds THIS is the horrific moment an apocalyptic storm hits Spain sparking massive tornadoes and forcing dozens to flee. Tourists and locals were evacuated from beaches as the raging winds sent parasols and other objects flying into the air in a freak 104F heat burst known as Satan's Storm. 6 Trees were captured dangerously swaying in the powerful winds Credit: Solarpix 6 The storm descended on Spain sending objects flying into the air Credit: Solarpix Advertisement 6 Dozens of holidaygoers were forced to flee the beach Credit: Solarpix 6 Objects appeared strewn across the ground Credit: Solarpix At least five people were rescued from the water in Spain's Costa Tropical as cops and coastguards were deployed in an urgent hunt for a missing person. The tornado was caused by a rare heat spike, with some areas reaching temperatures of up to 40C. Advertisement A heatburst, commonly known as a Satan's Storm, is a rare atmospheric phenomenon characterised by a sudden, localised increase in air temperature. Horrifying footage shows holidaymakers fleeing the beach as the winds pummel through the sand, sending debris and dust flying into the air. Read more on World FEELING HAZY Saharan dust cloud & Spain wildfire smoke blanket UK in satellite map Meanwhile, trees dangerously swing from side to side under a dark and cloudy sky punctuated by the odd ray of sunshine. Another clip shows garden furniture, pot plants and trees strewn across the ground after being struck by the devastating gusts. Advertisement Popular holiday resorts Motril and Almunecar, in the south of Granada, were the worst hit as two tornadoes and waterspouts cascaded through the areas yesterday evening. A waterspout is a rotating column of air - similar to a tornado - that forms over a body of water. Spanish weather agency Aemet confirmed on X: 'The temperature rose rapidly to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) at 7.50pm, accompanied by very strong gusts of wind that reached 53mph.' Meanwhile, Motril's mayor Luisa Garcia Chamorro, urged: 'Attention. We are experiencing what is known as a heat burst with very strong, almost hurricane winds. 'We recommend you don't leave your homes or remain on the street. Exercise maximum caution.' Advertisement Laura Bueno, who was at Torrenueva Beach, Motril at the time said: 'What a scare. A heat burst swept away chairs and sunshades. "It was a hot wind like the winds from the Sahara Desert. It knocked over containers and blew everything into the sea. Children and adults suffered panic attacks.' Another shocked local added: 'I don't remember seeing such a rapid weather change in such a short space of time.' The wild storms come as Spain tackles ongoing fires tearing through parts of the country. Four people have now died and six left with horrific burns in Castilla y Leon, north of Spain's capital, as the country enters its ninth day of tackling the fires. Advertisement What is the original 'Satan Storm'? The first storm of this kind was reported in Texas in 1960. The bizarre phenomenon occurred on Jun 15 after a complex of summer storms raged through the area. Normally, rain that meets dry air will cool through a process called latent heat absorption. But in this case, all the rain was vaporised creating dense air which turned into speeding winds of almost 80mph. Shortly after midnight, the air plummeted to the ground reaching 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Panicked residents sprung from their beds, gasping for breath in the sweltering heat. Not knowing what was occurring, many thought they were facing the end of the world. Locals wrapped their children up in wet towels and bed sheets as crops withered in the blazing storm and heat. (Source: Spectrum Local News) 6 Tourists ran for cover amid the raging winds Credit: Solarpix
Daily Mirror
12 hours ago
- Climate
- Daily Mirror
Dramatic moment tourists run from 'Satan's Storm' as Spain beaches evacuated
The 'Satan's Storm' weather phenomenon caused near-hurricane force winds and pushed temperatures to unbearable highs, forcing tourists in Costa Tropical to take cover Tourists were forced to flee a beach and run for cover during a 'Satan's Storm' weather event that caused near-hurricane force winds and a 104 degree Celsius temperature spike. Authorities ordered holidaymakers and locals to evacuate beaches as the rare weather phenomenon sent sunshades and other objects flying in Spain's Costa Tropical. At least five people had to be rescued after getting into difficulties in the water as inflatable dinghies and longboards were dragged out to sea. Two tornados and waterspouts formed during the stormy heat burst, which affected resorts such as Motril and Almunecar south of Granada on Sunday evening. Motril was one of the places hardest hit, with footage of the damage caused showing a fibre-glass swimming pool on the roof of an apartment block being blown to the ground. A police helicopter was mobilised along with coastguards amid reports at least one person was missing. The first emergency calls were received just before 8pm. Spanish weather agency Aemet confirmed on X: 'The temperature rose rapidly to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) at 7.50pm, accompanied by very strong gusts of wind that reached 53mph.' Motril's mayor Luisa Garcia Chamorro sounded a warning on social media. Posting just after 8pm, she said: 'Attention. We are experiencing what is known as a heat burst with very strong, almost hurricane winds. 'We recommend you don't leave your homes or remain on the street. Exercise maximum caution.' Before the evacuation order most people had already abandoned beaches, with visibility reduced to near-zero as the high winds left many caught in the middle of a sandstorm and forced to cover their faces with their hands as they headed for safety. Witness Laura Bueno, speaking about the situation at Torrenueva Beach where some of the rescues took place, said: 'What a scare. A heat burst swept away chairs and sunshades. It was a hot wind like the winds from the Sahara Desert. 'It knocked over containers and blew everything into the sea. Children and adults suffered panic attacks.' One shocked local added: 'I don't remember seeing such a rapid weather change in such a short space of time.' A regional emergency response coordination centre said it had received around 20 calls about problems caused by the high winds. It was not immediately clear this morning if the missing person report was a false alarm or not. A heat burst, informally known as a 'Satan's Storm' is a rare atmospheric phenomenon characterized by a sudden, localized increase in air temperature near the Earth's surface. Heat bursts typically occur during night-time and are associated with decaying thunderstorms. They are also characterized by extremely dry air and are sometimes associated with very strong, even damaging, winds. Although the phenomenon is not fully understood, the event is thought to occur when rain evaporates into a parcel of cold, dry air high in the atmosphere, making the air denser than its surroundings. The parcel descends rapidly, warming due to compression, overshoots its equilibrium level, and reaches the surface, similar to a downburst. Recorded temperatures during heat bursts have reached well above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), sometimes rising by ten degrees Celsius (18 degrees Fahrenheit) or more within only a few minutes.
