Madeira 2010 Aftermath of flashfloods and mudslides on bathing water quality indicators and on sand microbial levels

On 20th of February 2010, a series of storms, caused by an active cold front combined with Atlantic low-pressure and temperature differences of the sea surface across the Atlantic Ocean with unusually warm waters from West Africa, affected several countries, such as Portugal, Spain, Morocco and the Canary Islands, causing flooding, rain and strong winds. Madeira, an island with different types of beaches within a small coastline was severely affected. Between 6 a.m. and 11 a.m., 108 mm of rain were recorded at Funchal weather station and 165 mm at Pico do Areeiro (1818m of altitude).