INUNCAT Plan Activated as Storms Approach

Protecció Civil de la Generalitat has activated the INUNCAT plan in its alert phase ahead of a forecasted severe weather event set to affect much of Catalonia on Thursday 1 October 2026. The regional emergency service acted following updated forecasts from the Servei Meteorològic de Catalunya (SMC), which predict torrential downpours beginning Thursday morning along the coastal and pre-coastal areas from Baix Camp to La Selva, including parts of Barcelona and Tarragona provinces.

⚠️ Protecció Civil activa l’Alerta #INUNCAT per la previsió de pluges torrencials demà dijous. 🌧️ Es poden superar els 40 l/m² en 30 min, sobretot a la tarda. A les Terres de l’Ebre es podrien acumular més de 90 l/m² en 3 h. Extremeu les precaucions.

, Protecció civil (@emergenciescat), September 30, 2026

Intense Rainfall Expected Across Regions

According to SMC data, some storms may exceed 40 litres per square metre in just 30 minutes during the morning, particularly along the coast. By midday and afternoon, heavy showers are expected to spread inland across Central Catalonia, Ponent, Tarragona and the Terres de l'Ebre. The most intense rainfall is predicted between 14:00 and 20:00 on Thursday, with the risk level currently rated at 4 out of 6 on the danger scale. During the evening and overnight into Friday, the heaviest rains will concentrate in the Terres de l'Ebre, where accumulations could surpass 90 litres per square metre within three hours due to slow-moving or stationary storm systems. Earlier on Wednesday, western fronts brought notable rainfall to northern Central Catalonia, recording 26 litres per square metre in Tàrrega and 23 in Sant Martí de Riucorb.

Areas Most at Risk

  • Coastal and pre-coastal zones from Baix Camp to La Selva
  • Osona, Bages and Moianès in Central Catalonia
  • Northern Tarragona comarques
  • Terres de l'Ebre, especially during Thursday night

The Agència Catalana de l'Aigua (ACA) is focusing monitoring efforts on the Ebre river basin due to potential rapid rises in streams and tributaries. The Confederació Hidrográfica del Ebre maintains surveillance downstream in anticipation of flash floods.

Safety Advice Issued

Residents are urged to avoid dry riverbeds, gullies, underpasses and flood-prone areas, whether on foot or by vehicle. Protecció Civil advises the public to follow real-time weather updates via the Servei Meteorològic de Catalunya and stay informed through official alerts. Despite the heightened alert status, no school closures have been ordered. An ES-alert was issued region-wide to warn citizens, but normal activities continue unless conditions deteriorate. No immediate evacuations are planned, though emergency coordination teams met on Wednesday to prepare response protocols under the INUNCAT framework.

More Barcelona coverage on Barna.News: Orange rain alert begins in Barcelona and Tarragona.

Reported by gerio.cat, protecciocivillleida.org, beteve.cat, Arnau Urgell i Vidal, Servei Meteorològic de Catalunya. Generalitat de Catalunya, naciodigital.cat, rtve.es, diarimes.com, Maestrat TV, elnacional.cat, llobregatnoticies.com, capgros.elnacional.cat, static-m.meteo.cat, Gerió Digital.