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STORY: Catastrophic flash floods in Spain have killed dozens and devastated towns. Meteorologists branded it one of the most intense storms of its type in the last century for the Valencia region. It was caused by a destructive weather system known in Spain as DANA.:: What is the DANA weather phenomenon?It’s a phenomenon that occurs when cold air blows over warm Mediterranean waters.Hotter air then rises quickly and powerful, dense rain clouds are formed.These clouds can stay over an area for hours, increasing the potential for destruction.As well as rain, meteorologists say that the event can also cause large hail storms or tornadoes. :: Is the event different from a normal storm?DANA, a Spanish acronym for high-altitude isolated depression, differs from common storms.That’s because it can form independently of polar or subtropical jet streams.Eastern and southern Spain are particularly susceptible to it due to its position between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...With warm, humid air masses meeting cold fronts in a mountainous region.:: How often are DANA events?The pattern is believed to be growing more frequent. And experts like Professor Hannah Cloke say this increase is due to climate change…As a rise in the Mediterranean’s temperature and a warmer atmosphere will contribute to more frequent extreme episodes."We're going to see more of these flash floods in the future. This has the fingerprints of climate change on it, these terribly heavy rainfalls and these devastating floods." She said even early warnings of heavy rain based on reliable forecasts did little to prevent fatalities.“We must help people understand the danger they're in, we must help people understand, imagine these volumes of water running through their streets and into their homes. Just telling people that it's going to rain quite a lot is not good enough, people don't understand what to do, they don't have the information they need to keep themselves and their families safe."
