Autumn storms in Mallorca: from AEMET's warning levels to the 112 emergency line
Wetter Mallorca editorial team · · 2 min read
AEMET grades thunderstorms in Mallorca by strength: yellow for strong storms, orange for very strong ones with gusts above 90 km/h or hail over 2 centimetres. For heavy rain, yellow already applies in the south of Mallorca, including Palma, from 15 mm in one hour, and from 20 mm elsewhere on the island (Meteoalerta plan). The emergency number in Mallorca is 112.
How AEMET grades thunderstorms in Mallorca
For thunderstorms, AEMET's Meteoalerta plan uses descriptions rather than a single figure (thresholds):
- Yellow, strong storms: frequent lightning with locally heavy rain, very strong gusts or hail over 1 centimetre.
- Orange, very strong storms: exceptional lightning with very heavy or torrential rain, gusts above 90 km/h or hail over 2 centimetres.
- Red: very strong storms whose exceptional character can cause high impact.
What 15 mm of rain in one hour means in Palma
According to AEMET, Palma belongs to the south of Mallorca warning zone, together with Calvià, Andratx, Llucmajor, Marratxí, Campos and ses Salines. There, yellow already applies to heavy rain from 15 mm in one hour. On the rest of the island yellow applies from 20 mm. All thresholds are listed on the Mallorca weather warnings page.
For scale: 15 mm in one hour is more than a quarter of what the AEMET station Palma Puerto receives in the whole of September on average, 56.3 mm spread over about five rainy days (2011 to 2025 average, not a forecast). October averages 63.1 mm. Month by month: September and October.
What happens in Mallorca after a warning
An AEMET warning can be followed by the Balearic government's severe weather plan, METEOBAL, which has four levels from IG 0 to IG 3 (112 Illes Balears). IG 2 applies when severe weather exceeds local resources or the forecast points to the situation getting worse. For flooding there is also the INUNBAL plan, which the government put on pre-alert on 15 August 2026 (statement). More on both plans on the Mallorca weather warnings page.
What the 112 service advises in Mallorca
For thunderstorms and floods, the Balearic 112 service lists, among other points:
- Keep away from the seasonal streams, the torrents, and do not park on bridges or at river mouths.
- Do not cross flooded areas on foot or by car.
- Avoid high points and water, do not shelter under trees, and keep clear of cables, railings and metal objects.
- The inside of a vehicle counts as a safe place during lightning.
Wetter Mallorca is not a warning service, AEMET and 112 are the authorities.
Frequently asked questions
When does AEMET warn of thunderstorms in Mallorca?
Yellow applies to strong storms with locally heavy rain, very strong gusts or hail over 1 centimetre. Orange applies to very strong storms with gusts above 90 km/h or hail over 2 centimetres.
How much rain triggers an AEMET warning in Palma?
Palma belongs to the AEMET south of Mallorca zone, where yellow applies from 15 mm in one hour, against 20 mm on the rest of the island. 15 mm is more than a quarter of the average September rainfall at Palma Puerto.
Is a car a safe place during a thunderstorm in Mallorca?
According to the Balearic 112 service, the inside of a vehicle counts as a safe place during lightning. Flooded roads, however, should not be crossed on foot or by car.
What is the emergency number for severe weather in Mallorca?
112. The Balearic emergency service also publishes advice for storms and floods, such as keeping away from the torrents and not crossing flooded roads.
Text written with AI and automatically checked against editorial rules before publication. Figures come from the linked sources. Wetter Mallorca is not an official weather service.
