The polar jet stream is set to bring an abrupt and dramatic shift in weather across much of Spain, following weeks of unseasonably high temperatures.
According to forecasters at Meteored and Aemet, the final days before the autumn equinox will bring torrential rain, strong storms and a sharp drop in temperatures in large swathes of the country.
Meteorologists said that the polar jet stream, which has been particularly intense over the North Atlantic, will begin to dip southward from Friday.
This will push cold polar air towards Spain, replacing the current heatwave-like conditions with a much more unstable and autumnal weather pattern.
Aemet predicts that some northern areas will experience temperature drops of up to 17C in just 48 hours. For example, Burgos could fall from 33C on Saturday to just 16C by Monday.
Will Andalucia be hit?
While the most severe rainfall will hit the north – with some areas expecting over 100 litres per square metre – Andalucia will also feel the change, though in a different way.
- Temperatures: After days of highs close to 40C in the Guadalquivir valley, maximums will finally ease back into the high 20s and low 30s. Nights will also become fresher, bringing some long-awaited relief.
- Rainfall: Most of the heavy downpours will stay further north and east, but southern Andalucia could still see scattered showers, particularly in mountainous areas such as the Sierra de Grazalema and the Sierra Nevada.
- Winds: The arrival of polar air will be accompanied by gusty northerly winds, which could intensify the feeling of a sudden seasonal shift.
For Andalucia, the change means the oppressive late-summer heat will finally give way to more bearable conditions.
However, with reservoirs still under pressure despite recent improvements, the region will miss out on the significant rainfall that northern Spain is expected to receive.
Farmers, especially in Cordoba, Sevilla and Jaen, will be watching closely. A cooler start to autumn may help ease stress on crops like olives, but the lack of widespread rain in the south underscores the ongoing challenge of water scarcity.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
