A BLAST of polar air is set to sweep across Spain, bringing a sharp drop in temperatures along with widespread rain, strong winds and snowfall ahead of Semana Santa festivities.
After a brief taste of early summer last week, when temperatures reached 25C in Bilbao, Spain is bracing for a return to wintry conditions as a surge of cold air descends across Europe.
From Thursday, temperatures are expected to drop by 6–10C across much of the peninsula, bringing a sharp contrast to recent conditions.
Northern regions, including the Pais Vasco, are likely to experience some of the coldest weather.
In Bilbao, highs on Thursday are forecast to reach just 13C, with overnight lows of around 7C – well below last week’s warm spell.
Nearby San Sebastian will see even cooler conditions, with daytime temperatures peaking at around 9C.
Further inland in Castilla y Leon, cities such as Burgos are expected to hover near 7C throughout much of the day.
In La Rioja, temperatures will peak at around 5C with some towns experiencing highs of just 1C.
As the cold air moves eastward, it will reach Cataluyna by Saturday, bringing widespread showers.
Heavy rain is expected across much of the region, although temperatures will remain relatively mild compared to the north, with highs of around 16C in Barcelona.
The colder pattern will coincide with the start of Semana Santa celebrations on Palm Sunday, when much of northern Spain will remain firmly in winter conditions.
Cities such as Burgos, Pamplona, Segovia and Soria are forecast to see daytime highs of just 8-9C.
Snowfall is also expected in the Pyrenees and the Cantabrian Mountains, with snow levels dropping lower than usual for this time of year.
This could lead to snow accumulating at mid and high elevations, particularly during the coldest periods of the day.
The coming days will bring a marked shift from recent mild conditions, with colder temperatures, widespread rain, and wintry conditions returning to large parts of Spain.
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