Spain set for warmest New Year's weather in 20 years

Spain looks set to experience the hottest New Year period in years, an ideal scenario in terms of avoiding indoor spaces as coronavirus cases keep shooting up during this sixth wave of the coronavirus. 

According to meteorologists, the end of the year and start of 2022 will feel much more like spring than winter.

In fact, they believe Spain could have the warmest New Year temperatures for 20 years, with an increase of up to 15 degrees compared to last year.

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Although it has been rainy across parts of Spain during the Christmas period, temperatures in the last days of 2021 may be much higher than is normal at this time of year, and it will be especially noticeable in northern Spain.

On New Year’s Day for example, parts of Galicia, including A Coruña, could reach the low-twenties.

But this warm spell won’t last, according to experts.

Spain's national weather agency Aemet have said that sometime during the first week of January, "the wind is going to enter from the north in a large part of the peninsula and we could return to the normal temperatures for this time of year, or even a little lower.”  So enjoy the warm weather while you can then, and see a breakdown below:

New Year’s Eve (December 31st)

Pretty much all of Spain will experience higher than usual temperatures on New Year’s Eve, including Barcelona in the high-teens and, incredibly, parts of northern Spain may reach the high-teens or twenty, although there is a chance of showers in Galicia in the afternoon.

Madrid will be a warm 16°C, and much of Andalusia, Murcia, and Valencia, including Alicante, will be in the high-teens or low twenties. The Balearics will hover around 20°C on New Year’s Eve, and the Canaries will enjoy slightly hotter temperatures, in the mid-twenties, with Las Palmas de Gran Canaria forecast to reach a staggering 27°C.

Aemet's temperature forecast across the Spanish mainland and the Balearics for 3pm on Friday December 31st.

 

New Year’s Day (January 1st)

Much of the same on New Year’s Day. Temperatures may even rise a degree or two, hitting the high-teens or low twenties across much of Catalonia and Spain’s northern regions. Bilbao is forecast to be in the low twenties, as is San Sebastian and Oviedo with a low-risk of rain and clouds forecast.

Aemet's maximum and minimum temperature forecast for mainland Spain and the Balearics on Saturday January 1st.

Madrid will stay in the high-teens, and Andalucia, Murcia, Alicante, and Valencia will all stay in the high-teens to low-to-mid-twenties with little chance of rain but a chance of cloudy spells on Spain’s southern Atlantic coast.

The Canaries will stay in the low-to-mid-twenties, and the Balearics in the high-teens.

It's not unusual for temperatures in the Canaries over Christmas to be in the mid-twenties. Map: Aemet

Experts have been quick to downplay the role of climate change, or the prospect of a January heatwave, however.

It is not a heatwave, Meteored meteorologist Francisco Martín says, but a "period of high temperatures" that affects other parts of Europe as well. "This is quite a spring break that is also being noticed in France and the United Kingdom," he says.