During October, the influence of the Atlantic is usually felt in Spain and Portugal - but not always in such a violent manner.
The first major Atlantic depression to hit the Iberian Peninsula appeared earlier this week. The satellite view showed Spain and Portugal completely covered by cloud.
The Catalan mountains enhanced the thunderstorms around Barcelona and caused flash floods.
One man was reported dead as his car was swept away in the muddy torrent on Wednesday - a day of record heavy rainfall in the region.
Train lines and roads were closed, while residents were hit by widespread electricity blackouts. Cars were also washed down the Cabrils flood channel, through
Barcelona recorded 48mm of rain in 18 hours from Thursday lunchtime. Further up the Costa Brava, Girona reported 62mm of rain in the same period.
On Friday, as the system entered the western Mediterranean, various warnings for thunderstorms, heavy rain and even strong winds were issued from the French Riviera to Liguria and Tuscany to Sicily.
Cap Bear, south of Perpignan on the Gulf of Lion, caught 168mm of rain in the 24 hours since Thursday noon. Montelimar, a little up the River Rhone, reported nearly 80mm in the same time.
Autumn has arrived suddenly and stormily, and now that the Atlantic weather has pushed through to the Mediterranean once, it will likely keep doing so until next year.
