Spain weekend weather forecast August 20-23: Storms, rain and a significant cooldown for much of the country

An Atlantic front sweeps across the peninsula bringing heavy rain and thunderstorms to the north and east, while the south stays drier and temperatures fall almost everywhere

This last week brought an uncomfortable combination of record heat and violent storms, throughout Spain, particularly in the north and east. This weekend the balance tips firmly towards the unsettled side, with a deepening Atlantic trough pushing across much of the country and temperatures dropping significantly in areas that have been sweltering for weeks.

Thursday August 20

Spain weather warnings, Thursday August 20

The change arrives with a jolt. A front moving in from the north, combined with cold air aloft, brings heavy and persistent rain to the northern third of the country, with thunderstorms possible. The east and the Balearic Islands also see cloud, showers and storms, with the risk of hail, locally large in parts of the southeast. Elsewhere across the peninsula, expect cloudy intervals with the chance of isolated showers. Temperatures fall across almost the entire country, significantly so in the northeast. Only the Mediterranean coast holds on to some warmth, staying above 35°C in places, with the Canary Islands largely unaffected.

Friday August 21

Spain weather forecast, Friday August 21

Unsettled conditions continue in the north and northeast, with heavy and persistent rainfall in the eastern Cantabrian region and storms developing in the Aragonese interior and Catalonia from the afternoon. The Balearic Islands see a stormy start to the day before conditions ease. The rest of the peninsula becomes clearer through the second half of the day. Temperatures keep falling across the country, most noticeably in the northeast, with only the Guadalquivir Valley seeing any rise in maximums. Winds are generally westerly, moderate along the coasts.

Saturday August 22

Spain weather forecast, Saturday August 22

The trough deepens further over western Europe and the north and northeast of Spain bear the brunt, with heavy rain and thunderstorms, some potentially very intense. Further south, skies are clearer, though the front's passage will bring temporary cloud and rain to parts of the west. The southern half of the country gets the better of the weekend, with largely dry and increasingly pleasant conditions. Temperatures rise inland while falling in the northwest and along the Mediterranean coast.

Sunday August 23

Spain weather forecast, Sunday August 23

The front lingers but the picture is similar: wet and stormy in the north and northeast, with the possibility of isolated thunderstorms elsewhere as the front passes through. The south and the Balearic Islands see a mix of clear and partly cloudy skies, with temperatures rising along the Mediterranean coast and in the interior. Winds remain westerly across the southern half and northerly in the north, moderate to strong in places along the coasts.

It's a weekend that will feel very different depending on where you are in Spain. The north has a tough few days ahead, while those in the south can expect a welcome dip in temperatures and a largely dry, more comfortable close to August.

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Images: Aemet