Else Beekman
From 13 to 20 April, it’s that time of year again: Semana Santa is about to burst into life across Spain. It’s one of the most important festive weeks of the year. Schools close, many Spaniards take time off work, and celebrations take place in almost every town and village. In many places, impressive religious processions wind their way through the streets – but, as in previous years, the weather looks set to be an uncertain factor, this time with Storm Oliver.
This week is off to a promising start. In large parts of Spain, the next few days will be sunny with pleasant temperatures. However, it seems the good weather won’t last. From Palm Sunday, Domingo de Ramos in Spanish, temperatures will begin to drop. It won’t get truly cold, but the warmth will give way to cooler days.
Storm Olivier brings rain
From Friday onwards, the chance of rain increases significantly. Low-pressure systems are expected to bring more unsettled weather to the Iberian Peninsula. Showers are likely, especially in the west and south of Spain, and also locally along the Mediterranean coast. Spain’s national weather agency AEMET has warned that some of these showers could be quite heavy.
The approaching depression has now been named Olivier. It’s already the fifteenth named storm of this winter, and the second in a short space of time – Storm Nuria has only just passed. On Wednesday, Olivier is already bringing heavy rain and strong winds to the Canary Islands. From Thursday, the bad weather will move onto the Spanish mainland, where it could affect large parts of the country over the weekend.
Seville holds its breath with Storm Oliver in sight
In Seville, the city known worldwide for its spectacular Semana Santa celebrations, tension is rising. Every year, thousands of participants and spectators take to the streets for the processions. But rain is disastrous: as soon as the first drops fall, the sacred statues – often centuries old – must be rushed back to their churches to avoid damage. That’s what happened last year, when Storm Nelson swept across Spain. Many processions had to be cancelled due to heavy rainfall.
So anyone planning to celebrate Semana Santa in Spain this year would do well to pack an umbrella and keep a close eye on the weather forecast. Predictions for the rest of the week remain uncertain.