Spain faces another weekend of intense heat in the northeast and Balearic Islands. Orange warnings are active for several provinces. Meanwhile, storms and rain are forecast for the northwest, bringing local disruptions.
Spain's latest heatwave may have officially ended, but for large parts of the northeast and the Balearic Islands, the relief will be minimal this weekend. While a cooler air mass and the arrival of a DANA (isolated high-level depression) are set to lower temperatures in much of the country, several regions remain under orange weather alerts as thermometers are expected to approach or exceed 40ºC.
According to the latest forecasts, the most severe heat will concentrate in the interior of Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa, where maximum temperatures above 38ºC have triggered orange warnings. Similar conditions are expected in La Rioja, Navarra, much of Aragón, the interior of Catalonia, and the Balearic Islands. Central Spain will also see highs between 36ºC and 38ºC, though the intensity will be less than in the northeast.
Saturday will bring a brief spike in temperatures, especially in Galicia and the Cantabrian region, where values could rise by 6 to 8 degrees compared to previous days. In the interior of Galicia and the Basque Country, highs of 37ºC to 38ºC are forecast. By Sunday, the proximity of the DANA to the northwest will prompt a noticeable drop in temperatures in Galicia and western Castilla y León, with cooler air spreading across much of the west and center. However, the northeast will continue to experience extreme heat, with the Cantabrian coast, La Rioja, Navarra, Aragón, Catalonia, and the Balearic Islands all likely to see temperatures above 38ºC to 40ºC. In Mediterranean areas such as Murcia and eastern Andalusia, highs will surpass 36ºC, while central Spain will remain above 35ºC. The west will see more moderate conditions, a trend expected to continue into the following week.
Alongside the heat, the DANA will bring instability to the northwest. Saturday is expected to see showers and thunderstorms in Galicia, Asturias, León, and especially around the Cantabrian mountains, as well as in the Pyrenees. Some storms in Galicia could be severe, with hail, strong winds, and rainfall exceeding 15 mm in just one hour. Yellow alerts are in place for A Coruña and the interior of Pontevedra. On Sunday, isolated morning showers are possible in Castilla y León, the Iberian system, and the eastern Cantabrian coast. By afternoon, storms are forecast to return to Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, the Basque Country, and northern Castilla y León.
This pattern of regional weather extremes highlights the ongoing challenges Spain faces with summer heatwaves and sudden weather shifts. Recent years have seen a rise in both the frequency and intensity of such events, with authorities increasingly relying on early warning systems and public advisories. The impact of heatwaves is not limited to health risks; it also affects infrastructure, agriculture, and daily routines. For example, a recent study in Barcelona revealed significant disparities in access to air conditioning, underlining the broader social implications of extreme weather. As Spain heads into another weekend of volatile conditions, residents in affected regions are urged to stay informed and take necessary precautions.
Spain's meteorological agency continues to monitor developments closely, updating alerts as conditions evolve. The combination of high temperatures and localized storms serves as a reminder of the country's vulnerability to rapid weather changes, especially during the peak of summer.
