The episode has been described as “historic” by MeteoParcent. Credit: Ayuntamiento Denia Facebook
Costa Blanca has just lived through one of the most extreme weather episodes in its recent history. In the space of just 24 hours, parts of this normally sun-drenched corner of Alicante province recorded rainfall totals that would be more typical of late summer storms in August or September. The storm, which swept in on Thursday July 24 and continued into Friday, brought with it torrential downpours, strong winds and a series of incidents across the region.
The most astonishing figure came from Vall d’Ebo, where 149.6 mm of rain were recorded—an unprecedented amount for the month of July, historically one of the driest months in the Marina Alta. Rain gauges across the area registered similarly exceptional values: over 100 mm in Ràfol, Pego, Orba, l’Atzúvia, Sagra and the Montgó area of Javea. Other localities such as Murla, Pedreguer, Parcent and Benigembla also exceeded 80 mm. Even the Montgó side of Denia saw 70 mm, and Ondara 69 mm.
The storm was highly localised, with rainfall varying sharply between nearby areas. While La Xara and Les Rotes in Denia only registered around 20 mm, and El Verger just 15 mm, the contrast with interior areas was striking. In southern Marina Alta, Calpe recorded a modest 5.8 mm and Moraira 15 mm. The geography of the region played a key role, with the mountainous terrain diverting storm fronts unevenly.
Historic episode
The episode has been described as “historic” by MeteoParcent, a local meteorological observatory. “These are numbers we usually associate with September storms,” said the group, noting that several weather stations broke both daily and monthly records. “An absolute deluge.”
Denia bore the brunt not just in rain, but also in wind. Gusts of up to 70 km/h were reported, causing structural damage and disruption. According to the Local Police, the first major incident occurred at 18:39 on Thursday, when pieces of a balcony on Marqués de Campo street fell to the pavement. The area was cordoned off while firefighters secured the structure.
Shortly after, at 19:12, fencing at a nearby construction site was knocked over by strong winds. By 19:52, tree branches had fallen onto the busy CV-725 road near a supermarket, temporarily blocking access into the city. Just after 8pm, a loose manhole cover was detected near the composting plant access road.
As the clean-up continues and sunshine returns, local authorities and residents alike are left with a clear sense that this was no ordinary summer storm. It was a July deluge for the history books.