Northwest Spain faces heavy downpours as cooler air moves in and new Atlantic front threatens all

Heavy thundery showers are expected to return to the northwest this afternoon and evening, with locally intense downpours possible in places such as Asturias and nearby areas. Accumulations could reach 15 to 30 litres per square metre in dangerously short periods according to high-resolution models, prompting yellow warnings from AEMET in parts of Asturias. Recent storms already have caused disruption further east, including a supercell around Tarragona.

Conditions should ease overnight in those northwestern zones, but this is only a temporary lull. A deeper change is on the way from midweek as Atlantic fronts and lines of instability linked to a new low-pressure system spread rain and storms more widely. At the same time a cooler polar air mass will push temperatures down across much of the Peninsula in a near-general drop that feels more like early autumn than late August.

Heavier rain and storms spread through the middle of the week

Instability is expected to gain both reach and intensity between Wednesday and Thursday. Several fronts and instability lines will cross the country, bringing showers and thunderstorms that could turn locally strong in a number of regions. Northwestern and western areas look most exposed to the wetter weather, though the unsettled pattern will affect wider parts of Spain. AEMET has already flagged the risk of intense rainfall rates in the northwest today, and similar alerts could expand as the system develops.

🌀 Una nueva borrasca afectará a España miércoles y jueves.

⛈️ Lluvias en el noroeste peninsular, abundantes y con tormentas fuertes en Galicia.

🌬️ Rachas de viento muy fuertes en el norte peninsular.

🌡️ Descenso térmico el jueves, pero calor en el este peninsular y Baleares. pic.twitter.com/piNKnTs5YE

— AEMET (@AEMET_Esp) August 25, 2026

Most readers on the south and east coasts plus the Balearics will notice the change mainly through falling temperatures rather than heavy rain, for now. Daytime values should remain comfortable and still summer-like in many coastal spots, with the Mediterranean and island areas holding onto higher readings longer than the north and west. Overnight lows will feel fresher, especially inland from the Costas, offering a welcome break after the recent sticky heat.

What the change means for the Costas and Balearics

South and east coast residents and visitors can largely expect settled or only lightly changeable conditions through much of the period. Sunshine should still feature, though cloud will increase at times as the broader pattern evolves. Keep an eye on the sky later in the week if outdoor plans are fixed, as the expanding instability could produce the odd shower or storm even closer to the Mediterranean. The Balearic Islands follow a similar pattern: generally milder temperatures than the mainland north, with only a scattered risk of rain as the cooler air filters through.

Drivers heading north or west later in the week will want to check local conditions, as heavier rain and possible local flooding risks concentrate there.

Looking further into the week

By the end of the period, the west and northwest should feel distinctly fresher and damper, almost autumn-like in places, while the Mediterranean coast and Balearics hold on to more of that late-summer feel. Showers may still pop up in the northeast even as overall activity eases elsewhere. This follows the pattern of recent Atlantic influence that has already started to chip away at the extreme heat.

Overall the message for the south, east and islands is one of milder, more comfortable conditions with limited disruption expected, while the northwest takes the brunt of the heavier rain today and the broader stormy pattern midweek.