Hurricane-force winds and five-meter waves will hit Gibraltar in the coming days, weather experts warn

WEATHER experts have warned Gibraltar residents that hurricane force winds battering the Rock could carry “a risk of flying debris”.

MeteoGib said that ‘Levante’ winds from the east would blow with incredible force from Thursday to Saturday.

Friday will see the strongest gusts, increasing to up to 55 knots, up from 40-50 knots on Thursday, Gibraltar government forecasters predicted.

“This could lead to very difficult travel conditions, with a risk of flying debris,” MeteoGib said in a government statement.

The Levante winds will also bring large waves to the eastern areas of the Peñón and Punta Europa.

“Significant swells of 4m and above are expected to develop overnight, forecast to peak at around 5 to perhaps 5.5m,” MeteoGib warned.

The rough seas will calm down through Saturday as the storm passes.

Forecasters said “overflow of the seas and the risk of local flooding” could cause damage, especially in low-lying coastal areas.

Offshore fishermen will do well to keep their boats safely moored, while surfers will likely rejoice, especially once the strong winds die down over the weekend.

Wreck removers on OS 35 will fear the worst as they continue to dismantle the damaged bulk carrier 700m from Catalan Bay.

The weather warning followed about 20-25mm of heavy rain on Wednesday night.

Some hail and thunder were reported in places, and flooding made driving on the highway difficult in parts.

The advisories followed one of the wettest weeks on record in mid-December and the coldest day in two years in late January.

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