Latest Easter weather update: Radical turnaround with surprises for Semana Santa holiday: Artic chills or Spring sun?

Those hoping for some outdoors time on Spain’s south and east coasts for Easter celebrations should brace for a radical transformation in the weather this Holy Week. The latest news is just in on how the weather will behave over the next week.

A polar air front is expected to plunge over the Peninsula and Mallorca this Palm Sunday, March 29, delivering a sharp drop in temperatures and the potential for spring showers, especially along eastern shores and in the Balearic Islands, where a developing weather system is adding uncertainty to the outlook. Meteorologists think this initial cold snap will bring widespread cooling, setting the stage for the dramatic change ahead.

Polar air mass delivers chilly surprise to South Eastern Spain and Balearics

The sudden entry of cold air currents marks the start of Holy Week with noticeably lower readings across popular destinations like the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol, while occasional downpours could affect Mallorca with the unpredictable influence of a possible cut-off low. Forecasters say the exact path of this system remains uncertain, potentially leading to locally intense showers and thunderstorms in eastern coastal areas on March 29.

Powerful record anticyclone takes over from Monday

However, there is good news as well. A mass of high pressure is building in the North Atlantic that will function as an impenetrable wall from March 30, halting Atlantic disturbances and promoting settled skies ideal for beachgoers in southern and eastern Spain.

Initial northerly flows may continue the coolness of early in the week, but temperatures will climb steadily thereafter, with the anticyclone acting as a barrier that favours dry and increasingly pleasant conditions.

Soaring Spring temperatures expected by Easter Thursday and Good Friday

Gradual warming will accelerate towards the end of the week, with many south coast locations likely surpassing 20°C by Easter Thursday and even higher values possible on Good Friday as the anticyclone strengthens its grip over the region. Consolidation of this high-pressure pattern looks like it will deliver spring-like warmth across the east coast and Mallorca, enticing everyone outdoors again during the latter part of the holiday period.

Those on the coasts can therefore prepare for an exciting contrast, packing warmer layers for the opening days before switching to lighter clothing as the weather improves dramatically under the influence of the record-breaking anticyclone.

Easter in Spain is always a rollercoaster ride of extremes as thousands prepare for the Semana Santa processions with one eye on the sky. This year, though, it seems, we are in for a dry, warm Easter after a brief chill.