Valencia Storms Bring 149 km/h Winds and Collapse Church Roof in Alzira

Violent downbursts across La Ribera

A severe weather event moved through the Valencian Community on Thursday afternoon, bringing hail, intense precipitation, and destructive wet downbursts. The storm system began impacting municipalities across the province of Valencia around 14:00, with wind speeds reaching hurricane levels in several inland towns. The Associació Valenciana de Meteorologia recorded maximum gusts of 149 km/h in Sumacàrcer and 143 km/h in Alzira. Samuel Biener, a meteorologist at Meteored and climate researcher at the University of Alicante, explained that incoming hot and humid air from the Mediterranean fueled the storm cells forming in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula.

It was one of the most intense downbursts ever recorded in Spain; it had the force of a tornado.

Wind speeds exceeded 100 km/h across numerous municipalities in the La Ribera district, including Corbera at 125 km/h, l'Alcúdia at 114 km/h, Benimuslem at 106 km/h, and Carcaixent at 105 km/h. Gavarda, Castelló, Sueca, and Cotes also registered winds between 101 km/h and 105 km/h during the peak of the storm. State meteorological agency AEMET issued an orange alert for rainfall and thunderstorms across southern Valencia and inland Alicante. Forecasters noted that the primary danger stemmed from violent downdrafts rather than prolonged water accumulation.

Structural collapse at Santa Catalina Church

The town of Alzira suffered substantial physical destruction, centered on the 500-year-old Santa Catalina Church. High winds tore off the roof above the main altar, leaving the central dome exposed to the elements. Acting mayor Enrique Montalvá confirmed that emergency teams assessed the site and established that no injuries occurred despite the severity of the incident. Mayor Alfons Domínguez described the condition of the structure and confirmed its immediate closure.

It ripped off the roof of the high altar and the dome has been left exposed to the open air. It is not prepared to withstand water and we hope it stops. It is closed, awaiting a technical report.

Municipal officials noted that the roof collapse took place in approximately fifteen minutes. The Consorcio Provincial de Bomberos de Valencia mobilized emergency crews to respond to more than 50 separate incidents across La Ribera. Interventions focused on clearing fallen branches and uprooted trees, securing unstable cornices, and removing debris in Alzira, Sueca, Guadassuar, Carcaixent, Sumacàrcer, and l'Alcúdia. Emergency coordinators advised residents to contact emergency services at 112 if smoke appeared, citing lightning strike risks.

Transport disruptions and emergency response

Fallen trees and structural debris caused significant transport interruptions throughout the region. Railway operations on the Cercanías C2 commuter line and multiple medium- and long-distance services were halted between Alzira and La Pobla Llarga after a tree collapsed directly onto the tracks. Vicent Mompó, president of the Valencia Provincial Council, documented extensive tree falls and masonry damage across La Ribera and Canal de Navarrés. Regional Secretary of Emergencies and Interior Fernando Lasheras urged residents to avoid riverbeds and minimize road travel.

At home, great care must be taken especially with exterior elements and, when driving on roads, limit journeys and consult their status before setting off.

Preceding heat and thermal collapse

The storm followed elevated overnight temperatures across the Mediterranean coast. Strong westerly poniente winds heated by the foehn effect caused night temperatures to remain high, leaving 77% of weather stations in the AVAMET network above 25°C. More than 40 municipalities remained above 30°C throughout the night, while Denia and Rafol de Almunia reached 39°C at midnight. The city of Valencia recorded an overnight low of 30.9°C, the highest minimum temperature measured in the city since 1869, while Castellón recorded a minimum of 29.5°C, its highest since 1911.

The arrival of the convective storms brought sharp local cooling across affected areas. In Carcaixent, the downburst drove temperatures down by 18.3°C, dropping from 38.7°C to 20.4°C alongside 3 liters per square meter of rain. In La Safra near Villena, 32 liters per square meter fell within 20 minutes before the storm cells exited into the Mediterranean Sea near Cullera, El Perelló, and El Saler.