Spain Braces for Sharp Weather Turn as Rain, Dust and Cooler Air Move in

The spell of unusually warm weather is now on its way out. From 27 February, conditions across Spain will begin to shift as an Atlantic front moves in from the north-west, bringing falling temperatures and, over the weekend, a mix of Saharan dust and rain.

According to Spain’s state weather agency Aemet and the weather portals Meteored and eltiempo.es, Friday will still feel mild across central and southern parts of the country. In Andalusia, Extremadura, Castilla–La Mancha and Madrid, temperatures are expected to climb above 20 °C. In the north-west, however, Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and northern Castilla y León will see cooler conditions, with highs of around 12 °C to 16 °C, alongside thicker cloud and outbreaks of rain. In the Canary Islands, a nearby DANA is already bringing heavy downpours, particularly in the eastern islands.

Saturday, 28 February, will bring a further drop in temperatures, especially across the northern half of the country and inland areas. In Cantabria, Navarre, La Rioja, Aragon and the northern Meseta, daytime highs will reach only 10 °C to 15 °C. Rain is expected in the north, while scattered showers may also develop later in the day across Castilla–La Mancha, Catalonia, Aragon, eastern Andalusia and the Valencian Community.

At the same time, several plumes of Saharan dust are set to drift in, affecting the south-east of the Iberian Peninsula as well as the Balearic and Canary Islands. Skies will turn hazy, visibility will worsen, and where rain falls, there may be episodes of so-called “mud rain”.

On the morning of 1 March, frost is possible in several inland areas, particularly in Castilla y León. From midday onwards, isolated heavy showers are expected across the southern and eastern parts of the peninsula.

Meteorologists also say that a new DANA may form on Monday or Tuesday. Short for Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos, it refers to an upper-level low-pressure system that can trigger torrential rain and hail.