ARCHIVED - Temperatures set to soar across Spain as summer arrives in force
While Madrid saw highs of just 19 degrees on Sunday, southern Spain is expected to hit 35 degrees by the middle of the week.
The last weekend of spring was a chilly one with temperatures lower than usual for this time of the year and rain in much of the country, and summer began on Monday with cool temperatures and showers that could continue until Thursday, the Spanish State Weather Agency (AEMET) has reported.
Much of central and western Spain reported temperatures between 7 and 11 degrees lower than usual, while the stormy showers of recent days began to ease up.
Summer started at 5.34 am on Monday (21 June) with cooler temperatures, more typical of the end of April than of mid-June, particularly in the northern part of the country, and wind from the west and north means they are expected to remain low until Wednesday.
On Tuesday, showers are likely to continue in the northernmost regions, with occasional storms also possible, and skies are likely to be cloudy in the south and the Balearics. Temperatures will start to increase but will remain lower than usual for early summer, with highs of 30 degrees in the Guadalquivir valley and the Mediterranean and 32 degrees in Málaga, Murcia and southern Alicante.
There is a chance of stormy weather on Wednesday, especially in Aragón, Catalonia and Valencia, where there may be thunderstorms after midday. There could also be storms in the centre of the country, some parts of the south-east and the Balearics, and cloud cover will lower the temperatures.
By Thursday, however, summer is expected to make itself felt with a bang, especially in the southern part of the country. Temperatures over 35 degrees Celsius are forecast for the Guadalquivir valley, for example.
Temperatures are expected to continue their upward trend on Friday and the skies will clear, making for a hot, sunny weekend.
Image: Cruz Roja in Alicante, ready and waiting