Severe Hail Storm Overwhelms Andorra Sewers, Floods Roads

A severe storm featuring intense hail, heavy rain, and thunder struck Andorra on Saturday afternoon, causing sewer overflows in Andorra la Vella and water pooling on roads across central areas and the Orient valley.

The episode hit around 4:35pm, shortly after the meteorological service activated a yellow alert for storms. Forecasts had warned of locally intense showers with possible electrical activity across much of the Pyrenees, a scenario that materialised with intermittent hail falling in multiple locations. The capital saw its drainage systems overwhelmed by rapid water accumulation, while similar impacts affected other regions.

Precipitation totals from VisualMeteo included over 21 litres per square metre in Escaldes, 17 litres in Encamp, 7.3 litres at Els Plans, and 5.4 litres in La Cortinada. Southern spots like Certés recorded lighter falls at 1.8mm.

One minor collision occurred between a motorcycle and a car on the Massana exit toward Ordino, with emergency services attending but reporting no serious injuries.

Temperatures dropped markedly afterward. Escaldes peaked near 30°C around 5pm before falling to about 14°C, while higher areas like Els Plans dipped below 12°C.

The day had started stably with milder conditions, but a weather disturbance over the Pyrenees built instability, leading to these locally intense storms with hail, lightning, and thunder. The meteorological service noted the situation could persist into the afternoon.