Lorraine Williamson
Spain’s weather agency has warned that Sunday will bring a markedly wintry start to Semana Santa, with strong winds, colder temperatures, and the risk of snow falling at relatively low levels in parts of the country.
In a special Holy Week forecast posted on Saturday, AEMET said Sunday, 29 March would be shaped by the arrival of a polar air mass over the peninsula and the Balearic Islands.
Cold air is set to change the mood on Sunday
According to AEMET’s updated special forecast, the weather will turn more unsettled across the northern third of mainland Spain, where rain is expected to fall as snow across broad areas. The agency said snow levels could drop to around 400 to 700 metres, with significant accumulations possible in some places. Temperatures are expected to fall in most of the country, with frost in mountain areas and parts of the northern plateau.
That makes Sunday a very different prospect from the calmer weather many people associate with the opening weekend of Holy Week. It also raises the possibility of disruption for travellers, outdoor plans and some early Semana Santa events, especially in the north and east. That last point is an inference based on AEMET’s forecast and active warnings.
Strong winds are one of the main concerns
AEMET’s special forecast says intense northerly winds will affect much of the country on Sunday, with very strong gusts in the Balearic Islands and in much of the centre and eastern half of mainland Spain. The agency also warned in its social media post that Sunday would bring a “wintry” feel, with intense winds and colder conditions.
The warnings already published by AEMET underline that risk. In Catalonia, for example, the agency has issued an important wind warning for the Pre-Pyrenees of Barcelona, with gusts of up to 120 km/h forecast for Sunday.
Snow warnings are already active in some mountain areas
The snow risk is not only theoretical. AEMET’s warnings page shows an important snow alert in the Val d’Aran in Lleida, where accumulations of 20 cm in 24 hours are forecast, with the snow level expected to drop to around 500 metres. Elsewhere in Catalonia, the agency is also warning of snow accumulations in mountain zones above around 1,000 metres, with drifting snow possible at higher levels.
That combination of wind, colder air and lower snow levels is what gives the Sunday forecast its unusual edge for late March. It is not simply a case of showers in the mountains. In parts of northern Spain, it could look and feel far more like midwinter than the start of spring.
Baleares and the northeast may feel the worst of it
AEMET’s forecast also highlights Baleares as an area to watch, with precipitation there that could be locally heavy on Sunday. At the same time, the agency says the strong northerly wind will leave a very low wind chill in the northeast, which is likely to make outdoor conditions feel harsher than the thermometer alone suggests.
For readers planning weekend travel or attending processions, that matters as much as the rainfall totals. Even where the weather remains largely dry, strong gusts and colder air could affect comfort, journeys and event timings. That is again an inference from the official forecast and warnings.
The outlook improves, but not everywhere with certainty
The better news is that AEMET’s forecast points to more settled conditions from Monday, 30 March to Thursday, 2 April across much of mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands, with precipitation largely restricted to the northern third and mountain areas. However, the agency also says there is still considerable uncertainty over a low-pressure system whose position could bring rain to parts of the east and south of the peninsula, especially the Balearic Islands.
So while Sunday looks like the sharpest weather day right now, the broader Semana Santa picture is not completely fixed. AEMET is continuing to update its special Holy Week forecast daily through 4 April.
A weather warning worth watching before Sunday plans
For now, the clearest message is that the opening Sunday of Semana Santa will not feel mild everywhere. AEMET is pointing to a colder, windier and more wintry day than many travellers or holidaymakers may expect, especially across northern and eastern areas of Spain. With strong wind warnings and snow alerts already active in some zones, this is one of those days where checking the forecast before heading out looks less like caution and more like common sense.