Spain is set to experience an extended period of unstable weather at the end of April and beginning of May: meteorologists warn of a series of storms and heavy rains that could affect nearly the entire country. Starting Monday, northern regions—including Galicia, Castile and León, as well as the mountainous areas of Cantabria and the Pyrenees—are already seeing heavy precipitation, at times with hail and strong gusty winds. Yellow weather alerts are in effect in these areas due to the risk of sudden downpours and related events.
Storms across the country
On Tuesday, unstable weather will spread to most of the Iberian Peninsula. Rain and thunderstorms are expected in the southeast in the morning, while in the afternoon, intense precipitation will hit Andalusia, Extremadura, and Castile and León. Thunderstorms are also possible in other regions but are expected to be less severe. Authorities warn of the risk of strong winds and hail, and weather alerts remain in place for several areas.
By Wednesday, the area of instability will shift to the center of the country, affecting Castilla–La Mancha. In the morning, rainfall will again intensify in the west and north, and after lunch, thunderstorms will sweep the Tagus basin and by evening will cover almost all of Spain, except for the northeast and Mediterranean coastal provinces.
May holidays at risk
The second half of the week will bring only brief relief: a relative lull is expected on Thursday, but local showers and thunderstorms will persist in the mountain regions. By Friday, meteorologists once again forecast worsening weather, especially in the central and eastern provinces, where intense storms may occur in the Iberico and Pyrenees systems in the afternoon. This situation raises questions about plans for the May holidays, when many residents traditionally go on trips.
Causes of the weather anomaly
The main reason for the prolonged bad weather is a series of DANAs (isolated high-altitude depressions), as well as the passage of minor atmospheric waves. The most powerful DANA is expected on Wednesday: at that point, storms will cover almost the entire country. An additional cold front associated with this DANA will pass through the northwest, especially near the coast of Galicia. Despite the rain, air temperatures will remain above normal for this time of year, since no significant cooling is expected in the middle and lower layers of the atmosphere.
Weather risks and instability in Spain are becoming increasingly relevant against the backdrop of other crises the country is facing. For example, recent discussions have focused on internal disagreements within political parties, which also impact the public atmosphere — you can find more details in the article on tensions between PP and Vox на russpain.com.
