In the final full week of February, a rapid shift in weather is expected, moving from an early spring feel to high temperatures above 20 degrees and a return of winter conditions with snow. This change from Wednesday will impact several inland and northern areas across the country.
During the second half of the week, snow and frost are forecast to return inland and at lower elevations. Aemet spokesperson Rubén Del Campo explained that a North Atlantic anticyclone will drive very cold air into the region starting Wednesday, triggering a noticeable temperature drop and stronger winds.
Yet the weekend previously left an unusual heat record. Torla station in Ordesa, Huesca, topped the list with a high of 23.5 degrees, Girona’s capital reached 23.4 degrees, and Noya in A Coruña registered 23.3 degrees, Del Campo noted.
Tuesday will bring increased cloudiness across most of the country, with the exception of the Mediterranean area. There is a higher likelihood of heavy rain in the mountainous zones of Galicia, the Cantabrian region, Castilla y León, and the eastern interior of the peninsula.
The cold snap is returning with a dramatic edge, and the day may bring some hazy conditions that enhance the risk of heavy rain accompanied by mud. Daytime temperatures will fall in most areas, with notable exceptions in the eastern third of the peninsula and the Balearic Islands. Early estimates place La Coruña around 16 degrees, Bilbao, Zaragoza, and Malaga near 20 degrees, and Seville, Murcia, and Palma de Mallorca approaching 22 degrees.
The winds will shift from the north on Wednesday, delivering a surge of cold air. Thermometers in the higher layers of the troposphere will continue to fall, with typical drops of 6 to 8 degrees compared to Tuesday, especially in the northern part of the peninsula.
Throughout the day, heavy or persistent rainfall is forecast across Cantabria and northern Galicia, with rain also affecting areas near the Pyrenees, Catalonia, the southern parts of Aragon, and the northern regions of Valencia. The Balearic Islands may experience lighter effects in some areas.
Snow levels around the Cantabrian mountain range are expected to drop to roughly 800 to 1,000 meters by the end of the day. Temperatures will struggle to rise much above 12 to 14 degrees in the Cantabrian Sea corridor, with midland zones ranging from 15 to 17 degrees on average.
By Thursday, the situation is described as a mid-winter day across Spain. Frost will persist in the north and central regions, and the daytime peak temperatures will be limited to 5 to 7 degrees in places like Burgos, Vitoria, Segovia, and Ávila.
The rainfall pattern will continue across much of the northern half of the country and into the mountain belts of the central region, with snow lines around 600 to 800 meters in the northwest and 800 to 1,000 meters in the central zone. In the Pyrenees and the Iberian system, snow levels could reach about 1,200 meters, adding to the wintry mix across higher elevations.
Overall, the upcoming days will deliver a stark contrast: a return to winter conditions after a brief spell of warmth, with cold air, wind, frost, and notable precipitation shaping the weather across much of the country. Observers and residents are advised to plan for mixed conditions and to monitor updates from meteorological services for the latest warnings and forecasts.
— Attribution: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología