File:DANA Brings Floods and Dust to Europe (MODIS).jpg

English: A severe and slow-moving storm hit central and coastal regions of Spain with torrential downpours in early September 2023. According to Floodlist, in a 24-hour period between September 2 and 3 the storm, which is referred to as “Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos,” or DANA (see also es:gota fría), dumped 243.4 mm (9.6 in) of rain in Mas de Barberans, Catalonia. This is the highest reported in 23 years.

The flooding was brought on by a low-pressure system that became isolated, or cut-off from the westerly current, causing it to slow down. This type of storm, known as a cut-off low, can produce severe weather and heavy rainfall. According to news reports, the low-pressure system flooded streets southwest of Madrid, and caused rivers to spill over their banks and destroy bridges. At least two people have been reported to have died in the flooding.

Not only did the storm drench Spain, but the associated winds also picked up massive amounts of dust from the Sahara Desert in Morocco and Algeria. The broad band of dust was carried over the Mediterranean Sea, Spain, part of France, the Bay of Biscay, and the Atlantic Ocean.

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a true-color image of Storm DANA along with the associated river of dust on September 4. The dust stretches more than 2,000 km (1,240 miles) and is so thick for most of its length that the land and ocean beneath is obscured from view.