Extreme rainfall in Madeira: the June 2023 weather event

This study investigates the meteorological conditions behind the extreme precipitation event on 6 June 2023 over Madeira Island, Portugal. The event set a national daily record of 497.5 mm and was unusual for occurring in early summer, as most extremes in the region occur in winter. Using ERA5 reanalysis and in situ data, we show that several factors contributed to the event: the development of extratropical cyclone Oscar and its warm conveyor belt, the formation of an atmospheric river and the interaction between strong upper level divergence and low-level convergence, which together triggered intense and sustained precipitation over the Madeira Archipelago.