Spain Experiences Record February Heat Before Sudden Cooling

Thursday, February 26, 2026, brought Spain an exceptional weather anomaly that more closely resembled a spring or even summer day than the final weeks of calendar winter. A series of local forecasts published by the Spanish meteorological agency AEMET for dozens of cities and regions paints a picture of a country gripped by record February heat. In the capital, Madrid, the maximum temperature reached 24 degrees Celsius under cloudless skies. In the south, in Seville and Córdoba, the mercury climbed to 25°C. Interestingly, even the traditionally cooler northern regions experienced this heatwave – 24°C was recorded in Bilbao and 23°C in Logroño. The direct cause of this idyllic weather was the persistence of a stable high-pressure system and advection, i.e., the influx, of exceptionally warm and dry air masses from North Africa. The climate of the Iberian Peninsula is highly diverse due to the influence of the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and proximity to the African continent. Mediterranean regions are characterized by hot, dry summers and mild winters, while the interior of the country, the so-called Meseta, has a continental climate with greater temperature fluctuations. Heatwaves in the winter period, although atypical, are an observed phenomenon and are often associated with the expansion of high-pressure systems from the Sahara. This pleasant, yet short-lived weather situation is set to change dramatically the very next day, on Friday, February 27. All available AEMET forecasts unanimously point to a sudden change in atmospheric circulation. In the north and center of the country, in regions such as La Rioja (Logroño), Castile and León (Valladolid, Ponferrada, Palencia, Ávila) or the Basque Country (Bilbao), clouds will appear and scattered rain showers are expected. This will be accompanied by a noticeable cooling resulting from a change in wind direction and the influx of cooler air masses from the Atlantic. The scale of the temperature drop is significant: in Ponferrada, Friday's maximum is forecast to be only 14°C (a drop of 6°C), in Logroño 15°C (a drop of 8°C), and in Bilbao 16°C (a drop of 8°C). In other parts of the country, such as Andalusia (Córdoba, Seville) or Mediterranean regions (Teruel, Cuenca), the change will be less drastic, limited mainly to increased cloud cover and a slight temperature drop of 2-4 degrees. The trend of deteriorating weather is expected to continue throughout the weekend. On Saturday and Sunday, many regions, including Madrid, Valencia, and Zaragoza, will be dominated by cloudy skies with the possibility of light, scattered rain showers. Temperatures will remain at a lower level, though still mild for the end of winter. AEMET specialists emphasize that while such weather fluctuations are not unprecedented in Spain, the scale and suddenness of the change between Thursday's heat and Friday's cooling are exceptional. This event fits into the broader context of observed climate changes, which may increase the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, including winter heatwaves. Available numerical data on temperatures for individual cities allow for a comparative summary. Madrid: 24, Seville: 25, Córdoba: 25, Bilbao: 24, Logroño: 23, Ponferrada: 20, Ávila: 22, Cuenca: 21 Differences between regions are clear, but all values significantly exceed long-term averages for February. On Friday, the situation will change fundamentally. Logroño: 15, Bilbao: 16, Ponferrada: 14, Madrid: 18, Seville: 21, Córdoba: 22 These charts clearly illustrate the scale of the drop, particularly severe in the north and center of the Iberian Peninsula. Expected rainfall on Friday will also be unevenly distributed. The most intense scattered showers are forecast to occur in northwestern regions, such as Galicia and Asturias, while in the southeast (e.g., Almería) the weather will remain mostly dry, though cloudier. This weather rollercoaster has direct consequences for residents. On Thursday, many people took advantage of conditions atypical for February, spending time outdoors in parks and cafes. For Friday, municipal services and road maintenance crews are prepared for possible traffic disruptions related to rainfall, especially during morning and afternoon hours. AEMET recommendations include adjusting clothing for the sudden cooling and exercising caution on the roads. This event also serves as a reminder of weather variability during the transitional period between winter and spring. Although meteorologists do not foresee a return to frost, the significant temperature drop may be felt in terms of health, especially for sensitive individuals. Long-term forecasts for early March indicate a continuation of variable conditions with periods of greater cloud cover and precipitation, but without extreme frosts. The anomaly from late February 2026 will certainly be recorded in AEMET's annual climate reports as another example of an extreme weather event in the era of global climate change.