Else Beekman
If you’re on holiday in Malaga, it’s time to grab your beach gear. For the last weekend of April, real spring weather returns to the province of Málaga. The reason? The arrival of the terral in Malaga. This wind brings summer-like temperatures that may exceed 30°C in some areas.
According to weather agency Aemet, the phenomenon will last until Saturday, after which a sharp drop in temperature is expected.
But what exactly is a terral? The terral in Malaga forms when there’s a difference in temperature between the warm inland and the cooler coastline. According to Aemet, it’s a warm, dry wind that blows from land to sea, mostly during summer, but occasionally in other seasons too, like now. The result: sunny days, sudden coastal heatwaves, low humidity, and at times, oppressive heat.
Terral brings beach weather back to Malaga
Thursday began with clear skies and a light westerly wind in Malaga. Morning temperatures inland, such as in Antequera and Ronda, were already around 13°C and rose steadily throughout the day.
For Friday, Aemet forecasts a further increase in temperatures in the Ronda and Antequera regions. Winds will shift during the day to southerly and southeasterly, and later in the evening to westerly with terral influence. This marks the warmest day of the week.
First day above 30 degrees on Saturday?
Saturday, April 26, is expected to be the warmest day of the weekend due to the terral in Malaga. Possibly, it will even be the first time this year that temperatures exceed 30°C in terral-affected areas. This would make it the first tropical day of 2025, though it’s unlikely the record of 34.3°C set in April 2023 will be broken.
The terral will fade away Saturday evening or during the night into Sunday, possibly accompanied by strong gusts of wind. That means Sunday will bring a significant weather change. Winds will shift to levante (east), causing a noticeable drop in temperature. In Málaga city, it could be about 6°C cooler than the day before, with highs around 24°C. In other parts of the province, temperatures will drop to between 20 and 24°C.
Late April sunshine on the coast
Sunday will remain mostly dry, though the sea breeze will make it noticeably cooler. Sea temperatures are around 16.8°C, so if you’re planning a swim: it’s refreshing! The outlook for the last days of April is favourable, with sunny spells and moderate temperatures, depending on the wind direction.