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.