This week will bring significant changes in weather across Spain, with the arrival of colder air from the northwest potentially leading to a Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos (DANA) by the weekend. This meteorological phenomenon is expected to cause strong storms and a noticeable drop in temperatures across various regions.
Starting Monday, colder air will partly end the current heatwave and move into the northern part of the Iberian Peninsula, gradually spreading from west to east. This influx of cold air will lead to precipitation, particularly affecting the northern third of the peninsula. The storms are expected to be most intense in the northeastern regions but may also reach the central mountains as the cold air creates greater atmospheric instability.
The first half of the week will see these weather changes mostly in the north, but by midweek, the eastern regions of Spain and the Balearic Islands will begin to experience the effects more intensely.
Potential formation of a DANA
The second half of the week could be especially turbulent, with the potential formation of a DANA—a cold upper-level low-pressure system that can bring severe weather conditions. If this DANA develops as expected, it could bring very strong storms to the Balearic Islands, Catalonia, and the Valencian Community between Wednesday and Sunday.
📢 El tiempo en España esta semana: una #DANA podría dejar lluvias muy intensas y otros fenómenos adversos en estas zonas. ⛈️
👉 La previsión con @DuncanWingen. https://t.co/l3KYkbWNJg pic.twitter.com/MfHjTvOlI4
— Meteored | tiempo.com (@MeteoredES) August 12, 2024
These storms could include heavy rainfall, hail, and significant lightning activity. There is also the possibility of extreme weather phenomena such as tornadoes or waterspouts forming in these regions.
Significant drop in temperatures
Along with the storms, temperatures are expected to drop significantly. In many areas, temperatures could fall by up to 10ºC or more compared to the previous weekend. In the eastern Cantabrian region, where temperatures reached 40ºC on Sunday, a drop of nearly 20ºC is expected by midweek.
The cooler temperatures will be a welcome relief from the intense heat experienced in recent days, bringing conditions closer to the seasonal norm, even in the typically warmer southern regions of Spain.
As the week progresses, these weather changes will continue to develop, potentially leading to further updates and warnings from meteorological services.