As the last week of August begins, several Atlantic frontal systems are sweeping across the Iberian Peninsula, bringing volatile weather to Spain. A storm system west of Portugal is moving eastward, already triggering intense downpours and wind gusts over 70 km/h in several areas, with most of the country seeing a significant temperature drop.
Nine Regions Under Weather Alert
Spain’s National Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has issued weather warnings for nine autonomous regions. Aragón and Cataluña are on orange alert for the risk of heavy rain and storms. Meanwhile, Cantabria, Castilla y León, Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura, Galicia, and Navarra are under a yellow alert.
Risk of Meteotsunamis and Large Hail
Beyond heavy rain, some regions face unusual weather threats. The island of Menorca (Balearic Islands) is under an orange alert for a meteotsunami, locally called a ‘rissaga,’ with sea levels expected to fluctuate dramatically by up to 1.2 meters in just a few minutes. Concurrently, in areas including Tarragona, Girona, Barcelona, Zaragoza, Teruel, Ourense, Lleida, and Huesca, rainfall could be accompanied by strong winds and large hailstones over 5 cm in diameter.
Widespread Temperature Drop, Mediterranean Coast Excepted
The weather system is causing a temperature drop across most of Spain, with highs in the central peninsula expected to hover around 30°C. However, the Mediterranean coast and the Balearic Islands will be less affected, with maximum temperatures holding steady or even rising slightly. Highs in cities like Murcia, Granada, and Alicante could still surpass 33°C. In contrast, minimum temperatures are expected to rise along the Cantabrian coast, in the southwestern peninsula, and in the Canary Islands.
Weekly Outlook: Rain to Continue
According to AEMET’s forecast, the weather will remain unstable throughout the week. Tuesday will see a brief lull with weaker and more scattered showers. However, from Wednesday, a new Atlantic trough will introduce another front, re-intensifying the rainfall, with Galicia and the northwestern peninsula expected to be the hardest-hit areas. From Thursday to Friday, the rain will spread to cover the northern and southwestern peninsula, the northeastern coast, and the Balearic Islands. By the weekend, some regions could see accumulated rainfall exceeding 100 l/m², while western A Coruña and Pontevedra (Galicia) might see totals nearing or exceeding 150 l/m².
