In l"Estartit, the sea has receded unusually and has exposed rocks and carpets of algae that usually remain submerged. This phenomenon, popularly known as minves de gener, has become especially visible in February and not in January, as is usually common on the Costa Brava.
The receding of the sea surprises in l'Estartit
The drop in sea level in this stretch of the Girona coast has attracted the attention of residents and passers-by. The January low tides have exposed areas that are normally only seen under exceptional conditions. The phenomenon has been especially noticeable in rocky sections, where the retreat of the water has been more evident.
Atmospheric pressure and sea level variations
The sea level drop does not respond to a specific date, but to the persistence of high atmospheric pressure. When the pressure rises and remains for several days, the sea level can drop a few centimeters. Each 1 hPa of pressure is approximately equivalent to 1 centimeter of variation in sea level. This year, however, meteorological changes have prevented the consolidation of a stable anticyclone in January, which has shifted the phenomenon to February.
A phenomenon without a fixed calendar
The name minves de gener responds to a local custom, but the phenomenon depends exclusively on meteorological conditions. There is no fixed date for this drop in sea level to occur. The visibility of rocks and algae in l"Estartit and other points of the Costa Brava is a direct consequence of high and persistent atmospheric pressure, not a strict seasonal pattern.