Rain in Murcia: Weekend forecast, storm damage and road closures today
Schools and social centres closed across northwest Murcia and Guadalentín Valley due to heavy rains which brought more precipitation to Águilas and Lorca than in the whole of 2024
Following days of intense rainfall, schools and social service centres in 12 municipalities in the Northwest and Guadalentín Valley areas of Murcia will remain closed this Friday March 7 due to hazardous road conditions, water accumulation and the need to assess the safety of educational buildings.
The affected municipalities include Mazarrón, Cehegín, Bullas, Calasparra, Caravaca de la Cruz, Moratalla, Lorca, Puerto Lumbreras, Águilas, Aledo, Totana and Alhama de Murcia.
Social services facilities, including Early Intervention Services, Services for the Promotion of Personal Autonomy, Social Centres and Day Care Centres, will also be shut.
Regional president Fernando López Miras announced the school closures, adding that educational centres equipped with the necessary resources could continue classes online.
Cartagena feels the effects of the storm
The decision follows numerous incidents related to the storm, particularly on the outskirts of Cartagena, where road flooding caused severe disruptions. Emergency services had to rescue a motorist trapped in their car after attempting to drive through deep water.
Beyond road closures, the rain also caused minor damage around the city. Many pedestrians in Cartagena found themselves splashed by displaced tiles, while overflowing awnings dumped water onto unsuspecting passersby. Power outages were also reported in areas such as Grecia Street, the San Ginés neighbourhood and near the former Antonio Arévalo school, currently housing temporary Guardia Civil barracks.
Record-breaking rainfall in the north and west of Murcia
Such has been the rain that gauges in Cehegín recorded over 400 litres per square metre in the first six days of March, while Bullas, Mula, Moratalla and Caravaca de la Cruz exceeded 300 litres in less than a week. These places were those that registered the most rainfall in all of Spain on Thursday March 6.
Cehegín’s mayor, Alicia del Amor, highlighted significant damage to local cut flower greenhouses, a critical industry ahead of the Easter season.
Embalse de la Cierva desaguando esta tarde 🌊, término municipal de Mula (RdM) pic.twitter.com/4pzBJV5OnO
— ☈ Meteosureste (@meteo_sureste) March 6, 2025
Bullas recorded 356 litres so far this month, breaking historical monthly records by nearly 100 litres, according to weather analysis group FrostSE.
Caravaca, Moratalla, Lorca and Águilas also experienced unprecedented rainfall, with these last two receiving more rain in the last six days than throughout the entire previous year.
The Coordinator of Organisations of Agricultoral workers and Farmers (COAG) has estimated the damage caused by the rains recorded over the last few days in the agricultural sector in the Region of Murcia alone could total more than €10 million.
Emergency response system
The regional government has had to reinforce its emergency response plan, which was activated last weekend. At the later part of this week, a total of 80 personnel and 66 machines belonging to the Conservation Service of the regional road network have been deployed to attend to the various incidents caused by the rains.
Even so, the 112 Región de Murcia Emergency Services coordination’s computer system was briefly down this Thursday, ostensibly due to the extremely large number of calls and alerts coming in. From the beginning of the weather warnings, on Wednesday March 5 at until 7.30am this Friday morning, the emergency services received no fewer than 526 calls related to the episode of wind and rain that has affected the Region of Murcia.
Various events have had to be postponed, including the National Comparsas Competition and parade as part of the Águilas carnival celebrations and the TKO Radio roadshow and hog roast due to take place in Los Alcázares this Saturday, but which has now been pushed back to the following Saturday, March 15.
Roads closed this Friday
Dozens of roads were closed this Thursday, but many of them have now been reopened. Due to flooding or damage, the following roads are still closed to traffic this Friday:
- Calasparra RM-B32
- Lorca RM-D20 (El Garrobillo-Ramonete) and T-711
- Mazarrón RM-D4 Rambla de Las Moreras
- Avileses, Murcia Camino Torre Abellán
- Sangonera la Seca, Murcia Paso de los Carros
- Murcia Paseo Fluvial, from the La Fica bridge to Manterola
- Alhama de Murcia RM-C25, El Berro
These are the roads that have been reopened this Friday:
- Cieza RM-B19
- Cartagena RM-E33 and RM-E18
- Alhama de Murcia RM-C25 El Berro
- Torreagüera, Murcia El Ramón with Calle Antolinos
- Lobosillo, Murcia Rambla del Albujón
- Javalí Nuevo, Murcia Camino Soto Rocamora with Rambla Salada
- Beniaján, Murcia Carretera Puerto de El Garruchal
- Totana RM-D22 Rambla Lébor
Motorists are urged to drive with caution and under no circumstance attempt to drive through a large puddle or pool of water if they are at all uncertain of how deep it may be, given the risk of becoming stranded.
Weather forecast for the weekend Friday March 7 to Sunday 9
The Spanish meteorological agency Aemet has lifted all heavy rain alerts as of this Friday morning, but Storm Jana is expected to bring further showers throughout the weekend.
According to Juan Esteban Palenzuela, Aemet’s delegate in Murcia, rainfall will be “less persistent” than in recent days, but accumulation levels will continue to rise as spring is forecasted to be wetter than usual.
The wind is expected to be strong on Saturday evening, March 8, and Sunday morning, March 9, especially in the northwest of Murcia. It will also get a few degrees colder, down to minimums of 2ºC in the north and 5-8ºC in the centre and south, and daytimes maximums in the mid-teens, around 15-17ºC. Snow levels will be around 1,200-1,600 metres altitude.
Thunderstorms and showers are expected to continue into early next week, though no severe weather warnings are currently in place.
Murcia weather forecast, Sunday March 9
>>> Join the Murcia Weather Watch Facebook group for more weather updates or see our Weather & Climate page <<<
Image 1: Fomento Región de Murcia
Image 2: Aemet
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