Spain’s prolonged heatwave is set to break, but the transition will be anything but calm. The Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (AEMET) has issued warnings as a cold upper-level air mass, known as a DANA, approaches from the Atlantic. The shift is expected to increase atmospheric instability, bringing severe thunderstorms with hail and powerful wind gusts, particularly across northern and northeastern regions. Spain’s official Meteoalerta system provides detailed, updated information on hazardous weather for up to 72 hours and tracks how conditions evolve after adverse phenomena begin.
On Friday, much of the country remains under heat alerts, with Almería still at red warning level due to extreme temperatures. Other areas, including parts of Andalucía, Aragón, Castilla-La Mancha, Cataluña, Baleares, Murcia, Navarra, La Rioja, Comunidad Valenciana, and the Basque Country, continue to face varying levels of heat advisories. Temperatures in these zones are still expected to exceed 35°C and may again top 40°C in some southeastern locations.
The weather pattern is shifting rapidly. Cooler air at higher altitudes will increase cloud cover and fuel thunderstorms that gain strength through the weekend. The first signs of change are forecast for Friday afternoon in Galicia and Asturias, where abundant clouds and locally intense showers, possibly with hail, are expected. At the same time, instability will rise in eastern Spain, with Aragón and Comunidad Valenciana identified as high-risk areas for severe storms. Developing cloud formations could also bring heavy showers to neighboring provinces.
Saturday is expected to bring the most widespread and intense storm activity. AEMET forecasts heavy rainfall across much of the northern third of the peninsula, with the Cantabrian communities, Navarra, northern Aragón, Cataluña, and the Pyrenees most at risk. Storms in these regions could bring 15 to 20 liters of rain per square meter in just one hour, along with hail and strong winds. AEMET’s warning structure is updated as hazardous weather develops, so close attention to official alerts matters when thunderstorms change rapidly.
Further south, showers are possible but are likely to be isolated and mostly confined to mountainous areas. These storms are not expected to match the intensity forecast for the north.
Temperatures are also forecast to drop significantly over the weekend. After days of exceptional heat and tropical nights, when minimum temperatures in some Mediterranean areas barely fell below 20 or even 25°C, cooler air will bring relief. Maximum temperatures will fall sharply in many regions, especially in Levante and the far northwest. Nighttime lows will also decrease, giving residents who have struggled with persistent heat a break.
The weather change is also expected to clear the atmosphere. Wind and cooler air should disperse the lingering calima, or Saharan dust, which has affected visibility and air quality across much of Spain in recent days.
This respite may be brief. Forecasts indicate that temperatures will begin to climb again in the southwest by Sunday, with Extremadura and western Andalucía likely to see rising maximums. For a closer look at recent weather events in Spain, including storms and hail during extreme heat in the southeast, see this analysis of severe storms and hail during a recent heatwave.
Spain’s climate is marked by sharp contrasts, and rapid weather changes are common. DANA events can trigger sudden, sometimes dangerous storms, especially after periods of intense heat. Residents in affected areas are advised to follow official updates and take precautions as conditions evolve.
