This coming weekend, Spain will face a significant deterioration in weather conditions: meteorologists warn of thunderstorms with hail, rain mixed with dust, and a sharp drop in temperature. According to Mario Picazo, the cause will be a weak but sufficiently cold DANA, which will bring atmospheric instability and lead to the formation of powerful cumulus clouds. As a result, some regions can expect localized downpours accompanied by hail and precipitation with sand particles.
Where the heaviest precipitation is expected
The most intense rain and hail are forecast for the eastern provinces of Castile and León, as well as in the south of Andalusia. These areas may see brief but heavy downpours accompanied by hail. In addition, precipitation is possible in the mountainous areas of the north and center of the country, as well as in some interior and coastal areas of the Mediterranean. The peak of bad weather will fall on Friday and Saturday, after which by Sunday atmospheric pressure will rise and the amount of cold air aloft will decrease, leading to stabilizing weather in most regions.
Dusty rains and calima
In addition to rain and hail, another factor will come into play — calima. Dust from North Africa will once again reach the Iberian Peninsula, although not in the same concentrations as earlier in the week. Nevertheless, over the weekend, a suspension of sand will be noticeable in the air, coloring the precipitation in its characteristic murky hue. Meteorologists observe that such phenomena are becoming increasingly common not only in summer, but also during other months of the year, affecting not only Spain, but the south of Europe and occasionally even reaching the British Isles.
Temperature swings: first cooling, then warming
With the arrival of clouds and thunderstorms, air temperatures will drop noticeably on Friday and Saturday. In some regions, daytime highs will fall by 5–8 degrees compared to previous days, when the heat exceeded seasonal norms. However, even after the cooling, daytime temperatures will remain about 5 degrees above the multi-year averages for April. In Madrid, highs will drop from 29°C on Thursday to 23°C on Friday and Saturday, but will start to climb again by Sunday — just in time for the city marathon. In Seville, where the Feria de Abril continues, the mercury will fall from 30°C to 27–28°C, with Friday being the day when rain, rare for this festival, is most likely.
Context: weather anomalies in Spain
Meteorologists note that such weather swings are becoming increasingly typical for spring in Spain. Recently, the country has already faced a sharp cold snap and changes in air masses, with temperatures in several regions dropping by 6–12 degrees in just one day. For more details on these weather fluctuations, see our report on the recent cold snap: how in five regions the temperature dropped to -12 ºC within a day.
