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A cold drop [a] is a term used in Spain and France that has commonly come to refer to any high impact rainfall event occurring in the autumn along the Spanish Mediterranean coast or across France. [1] In Europe, cold drops belong to the characteristics of the Mediterranean climate. [2] [3]
The Spanish-language name of gota fría was directly adapted from the term Kaltlufttropfen introduced by German meteorologists, and became very popular in 1980s Spain as a blanket term to refer to any high-impact rainfall event. [4]
In the Spanish Levante, these events are typically caused by the interaction of upper-level low pressure systems strangled and ultimately detached from the zonal (eastward) circulation displaying stationary or retrograde (westward) circulation with humid warmer air masses that form over an overheated Mediterranean Sea in the Autumn. The Spanish equivalent of cut-off low is DANA (Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos). [4] Such recurring synoptic configurations are not necessarily associated to cold drop events. [b]
If a sudden cut off in the jet stream takes place (particularly on the Atlantic Ocean), a pocket of cold air detaches from the main jet stream, moving southward over the Pyrenees into the warm air over Spain, causing its most dramatic effects in the southeast of Spain, particularly along the Spanish Mediterranean coast, especially in the Valencian Community. The torrential rain caused by a cold drop can result in devastation caused by torrents and flash floods.
This phenomenon is associated with extremely violent downpours and storms, but not always accompanied by significant rainfall. For this, high atmospheric instability in the lower air layers needs to combine with a significant amount of moisture. [6]
The great Valencia flood on 14 October 1957 was the result of a three-day-long cold drop and caused the deaths of at least 81 people.
The Vallès floods on 25 September 1962 in the province of Barcelona were caused by a cold drop (gota fría), [7] producing heavy rain, overflowing the Llobregat and Besòs rivers. The official death toll was 617.
On the night of 29-30 October 2024, a DANA event caused considerable loss of life and extensive damage, especially in the Valencian Community [8] and the provinces of Albacete, [9] Almería, [10] [11] and Málaga. [12]
Cut-off lows are apparent near the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in the Colombian Caribbean, with peaks surpassing 5 km in altitude in close proximity to a warm sea. They can also occur elsewhere in the southern hemisphere, such as in South Africa, Namibia, South America and southern Australia. In the northern hemisphere, besides Southern Europe and France, they can occur in China and Siberia, North Pacific, Northeastern United States and the northeast Atlantic.
The October 2008 Central America floods were caused by a series of low-pressure areas including Tropical Depression Sixteen, a short-lived tropical cyclone in the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season that made landfall in Honduras. Heavy rainfall began in early October 2008 while a tropical wave passed through the region. On October 14, Tropical Depression Sixteen formed just off the northeast coast of Honduras, and at the same time a low-pressure system was on the Pacific coast. Both systems increased rainfall across the region, although the depression dropped heavy rainfall close to its center when it moved ashore on October 15. Although Tropical Depression Sixteen quickly dissipated over land, its remnants persisted for several days. Another low-pressure area interacted with a cold front on October 21, adding to the rainfall in the region.
Hurricane Alex was the first tropical cyclone of the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season, and a rare June Atlantic hurricane. Originating from an area of disturbed weather on June 25, 2010, it slowly developed in the western Caribbean Sea and struck Belize as a strong tropical storm. After entering the Gulf of Mexico, Alex became very large and encountered conditions favorable for gradual development. Early on June 30, the cyclone attained hurricane status as it approached northeastern Mexico, the first June hurricane in the Atlantic basin since Hurricane Allison in 1995, and the storm rapidly intensified just off the coast of Tamaulipas. Alex made landfall near Soto la Marina as a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Alex rapidly weakened after landfall, with the storm losing its tropical status on July 2, before fully dissipating on July 6.
Tropical Storm Georgette was a short-lived tropical storm that struck Baja California Sur in September 2010. The seventh named storm of the inactive 2010 Pacific hurricane season, Georgette originated from an area of disturbed weather over the eastern Pacific ocean on September 20. The next day, the system was upgraded into a tropical storm a short distance south of Baja California Sur. As the storm moved over the peninsula, it weakened to a tropical depression. It continued north and as such made landfall on mainland Mexico on September 22. Georgette dissipated early the next day while located inland over Sonora. Although officials noted the threat for heavy rainfall across northwest Mexico and Baja California, damage was minimal and no deaths were reported in the country. However, remnant moisture moved into New Mexico, producing flooding that killed one person.
Tropical Storm Arlene brought blustery conditions to much of eastern Mexico in late June to early July 2011. The first named storm and first tropical cyclone of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season. Arlene originated from an Atlantic tropical wave, which crossed the Yucatán Peninsula before emerging over warm waters in the Bay of Campeche. Despite moderate wind shear, the disturbance strengthened and developed a surface circulation, prompting the National Hurricane Center to declare it a tropical storm on June 28. Arlene remained vigorous for most of its existence; the storm peaked in intensity with winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) on June 30, just before making landfall on the coast of Veracruz. Crossing the mountains of eastern Mexico, Arlene weakened to a depression before dissipating early on July 1.
Tropical Depression Twelve-E was a short-lived but deadly tropical cyclone that dropped heavy rainfall across large portions of Central America in October 2011. It formed from a tropical disturbance roughly hundred miles south of Mexico, which fluctuated in organization for several days. By October 12, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) deemed the associated low pressure-area well defined enough for it to be considered a tropical depression. After attaining peak wind speeds of 35 mph (55 km/h), the depression moved ashore between Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, and Arriaga, Chiapas. It caused significant flooding and at least 30 fatalities in the region.
A flood on 14 October 1957 in Valencia, Spain, resulted in significant damage to property and caused the deaths of at least 81 people. In response to the tragedy, the Spanish government devised and enacted the Plan Sur, which rerouted the city's main river, the Turia.
A cut-off low, sometimes referred to as the weatherman's woe, is defined by the National Weather Service as "a closed upper-level low which has become completely displaced from basic westerly current, and moves independently of that current." Cut-off lows form in mid-latitudes and can remain nearly stationary for days.
Hurricane Bud was a tropical cyclone that brought winds and severe flooding to Mexico throughout its existence as a tropical cyclone in June 2018. It was the second named storm, hurricane, and major hurricane of the 2018 Pacific hurricane season. Bud originated from a tropical wave that departed from Western Africa on May 29. It traveled across the Atlantic Ocean before entering the Northeast Pacific Ocean late on June 6. The system moved towards the northwest and steadily organized, becoming a tropical depression on June 9 and Tropical Storm Bud early the next day. Favorable upper-level winds, ample moisture aloft, and warm sea surface temperatures allowed the storm to rapidly intensify to a hurricane late on June 10, and further to a major hurricane on the following day. Bud ultimately peaked the next morning with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (230 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 943 mbar. Its track curved more northward while the storm rapidly succumbed to the effects of upwelling. Bud made landfall on Baja California Sur as a minimal tropical storm early on June 15. On the next day, land interaction and increasing wind shear caused Bud to degenerate into a post-tropical cyclone. It opened up into a trough of low-pressure on June 16. The remnants of Bud moved towards the Southwestern United States, bringing tropical moisture and gusty winds to the region.
Tropical Storm Carlotta was a moderately strong tropical cyclone that caused flooding in several states in southwestern and central Mexico. Carlotta, the third named storm of the 2018 Pacific hurricane season, formed as the result of a breakdown in the Intertropical Convergence Zone. On June 12, a broad area of low pressure developed several hundred miles south of Mexico and strengthened into a tropical storm by June 15. The next day, the system stalled unexpectedly within a favorable environment, which led to more intensification than originally anticipated. Early on June 17, Carlotta reached peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 997 mbar while located only 30 mi (50 km) south-southeast of Acapulco. The system then began to interact with land and experience wind shear, which resulted in the storm weakening to tropical depression status later in the day. The system weakened to a remnant low early on June 19 and dissipated several hours later.
Tropical Depression Nineteen-E was a weak yet costly tropical cyclone that caused significant flooding throughout Northwestern Mexico and several states within the United States in September 2018. The storm was also the first known tropical cyclone to form over the Gulf of California. Nineteen-E originated from a tropical wave that left the west coast of Africa on August 29 to 30. It continued westward, crossed over Central America, and entered the northeastern Pacific Ocean by September 7. It then meandered to the southwest of Mexico for the next several days as it interacted with a mid-to-upper level trough. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) continued to track the disturbance for the next several days as it traveled northward. A surface trough developed over the Baja California peninsula on September 18. Despite disorganization and having close proximity to land, the disturbance developed into a tropical depression in the Gulf of California on September 19, after having developed a circulation center and more concentrated convection. The system peaked with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 1002 mbar.
Tropical Storm Vicente was an unusually small tropical cyclone that made landfall as a tropical depression in the Mexican state of Michoacán on October 23, 2018, causing deadly mudslides. The 21st named storm of the 2018 Pacific hurricane season, Vicente originated from a tropical wave that departed from Africa's western coast on October 6. The wave traveled westward across the Atlantic and entered the Eastern Pacific on October 17. The disturbance became better defined over the next couple of days, forming into a tropical depression early on October 19. Located in an environment favorable for further development, the system organized into Tropical Storm Vicente later that day.
Potential Tropical Cyclone Seventeen-E was a tropical disturbance that caused damaging floods in Southern Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador in mid-October 2019. A tropical wave entered the Eastern Pacific Ocean during October 13–14, and a low-pressure area developed by October 14 to the west of Nicaragua. Convection, also known as thunderstorm activity, associated with the system increased in both intensity and extent during October 15, while the system was south of Guatemala. The National Hurricane Center initiated advisories on the system as Potential Tropical Cyclone Seventeen-E on October 16, anticipating that the system would become a tropical cyclone before reaching the southern coast of Mexico. During its existence as a potential tropical cyclone, Seventeen-E had winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) and a pressure of 1,005 mbar (29.68 inHg). As the storm tracked northwestward towards the coast, its structure decayed, and the chance of tropical cyclogenesis decreased markedly. The disturbance made landfall between Bahias de Huatulco and Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, during mid-day October 16 and dissipated a few hours later.
Tropical Storm Ivo was a tropical cyclone that brought heavy rainfall to five states in Mexico, causing severe flooding during August 2019. The tenth tropical cyclone and ninth named storm of the 2019 Pacific hurricane season, Ivo arose from a low-pressure area that spawned south of Guatemala on August 16. The low-pressure system gradually organized over the next several days as it tracked west-northwestward. The system coalesced into a tropical depression early on August 21 and strengthened into Tropical Storm Ivo several hours later. Located within a favorable environment of moist air and warm sea surface temperatures, the cyclone quickly intensified, peaking the next day with 1-minute maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (110 km/h) and a pressure of 990 mbar (29.23 inHg). Increasing wind shear caused the storm's intensification to level off later that day, as the system turned towards the north-northwest. Ivo passed by Clarion Island midday on August 23, generating winds of 60 mph (100 km/h) on the island. Wind shear caused Ivo to significantly degrade in structure and intensity during the next couple of days. Cold sea surface temperatures, as well as dry and stable air, caused the cyclone to degenerate into a remnant low early on August 25. The low meandered over the eastern Pacific before opening up into a trough of low pressure early on August 27.
The 2022 South American cold wave refers to a series of cold temperatures and non-consecutive drops in temperature that had been recorded from May to November 2022.
El Santo is a ward in Encrucijada, Cuba.
The 1962 Vallès floods took place on 25 September 1962, mainly in the comarca of Vallès Occidental and to a less extent in Vallès Oriental and Barcelonès. The flood was caused by a cold drop with heavy rain, overflowing the Llobregat and Besòs rivers. The official death toll was 617, but estimates imply between 800 and 1000 deaths.
Tropical Storm Chris was a weak and very short-lived tropical cyclone that brought heavy rainfall and flooding to parts of Mexico in early July 2024. The third named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, Chris developed from a tropical wave that was first noted by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) on June 24. The wave struggled to organize as it moved westward across the Caribbean Sea and crossed the Yucatán Peninsula on June 30. Upon entering the Bay of Campeche, the wave coalesced into a tropical depression on June 30. Located within a favorable environment for strengthening, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Chris about six hours later. Shortly thereafter, Chris moved ashore near Alto Lucero, Veracruz. Chris rapidly weakened over the mountainous terrain of East Mexico and dissipated on July 1.
On 29 October 2024, torrential rain caused by an isolated low-pressure area at high levels brought over a year's worth of precipitation to several areas in eastern Spain, including the Valencian Community, Castilla–La Mancha, and Andalusia. The resulting floodwaters caused the deaths of 227 people, with 11 more missing and substantial property damage. It is one of the deadliest natural disasters in Spanish history.
La riada del Vallés, ocurrida el 25 de septiembre de 1962, fue provocada por una gota fría que causó lluvias torrenciales muy intensas