RESIDENTS across Spain have been praying for a dry and mild April following the third wettest March since records began in 1961.
While this weekend is seeing exceptionally balmy temperatures in the south, with highs of 27C forecast for the Costa del Sol and parts of Andalucia today, the heat won’t last forever.
According to meteorologists at El Tiempo, a ‘new twist’ could be coming during Easter next month.
It said in a report: ‘Uncertainty for the beginning of April is very high, but even more so if we focus on the weather for Easter. The changes in the models’ output are constant and very drastic.
‘The trends shown in the latest update suggest further changes in precipitation and temperatures.
‘Regarding rainfall, the Canary Islands, Andalucia, the Region of Murcia, southern Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura, and the Valencian Community are expected to experience a slightly wetter-than-usual Holy Week in 2025.’
Holy Week, or Semana Santa in Spanish, is one of Spain’s most important holidays.
It sees millions of Catholics fill the streets to witness days of painstakingly-rehearsed processions and religious rituals.
In Sevilla alone, more than a million people from outside the city come to see the world famous marches led by various religious fraternities.
Semana Santa begins on Palm Sunday, which this year falls on April 13, and finishes on Easter Sunday on April 20.
The weather can hugely affect the processions, which see huge statues of holy figures carried for several kilometres through city centres.
The tradition is observed with great reverence in Andalucia, particularly in Sevilla, Malaga and Granada.
Unfortunately, each year, there is an average 80% chance of rain due to the typical ‘April showers’ tending to fall at the same time.
The areas with the highest probability of rainfall are typically Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, the Basque Country, Navarre, and northern Castile and Leon, where average rainfall in April ranges between 100 and 150mm.
But this year, according to the latest models, the areas facing a more rainy Semana Santa than usual are the whole of Andalucia, Murcia and parts of the Valencia community.
