Tourists are being warned to brace for rising temperatures and possible sandstorms in parts of Spain, as conditions shift ahead of the summer holiday season
Tourists have been returned about a wave of hot weather due to hit Spain(Image: Bloomberg, Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Spain‘s national meteorological service, the equivalent of Britain’s Met Office, has issued warnings about sandstorms hitting the country, as temperatures climb ahead of the summer period.
Thousands of British holidaymakers are anticipated to attempt travel to Spain and other European destinations this summer seeking warm and dry conditions.
According to Spain‘s Aemet the “air masses over Spain are extremely warm” indicating temperatures will climb over the coming days, triggering a “spell of summer heat in April”.
Accompanying the heat, ABC reported that Saharan dust will sweep into the country through the Iberian Peninsula on Monday, before progressively spreading across to the Canary Islands, with temperatures seldom dropping below 10 degrees in most regions of Spain.
Reports suggest that unsettled weather conditions would probably impact areas including the Ebro Valley, the Pyrenees, Navarre, and the Iberian System.
As the week progresses into Tuesday, storms are predicted to arrive with stronger winds in locations such as Galicia and the Cantabrian Mountains, as well as the Pyrenees.
The shifting weather patterns and rising heat arrive at a precarious moment for travel to and from Europe for British travellers, not only due to the EU’s new EES (Entry and Exit System) but also because of worries surrounding jet fuel availability.
The concerns have emerged due to the consequences of the Strait of Hormuz closure on global oil supplies with anxieties that some airlines might begin experiencing shortages later this year.
Speaking to the Express about what the potential shortage means for those planning to fly this summer, holiday expert and On The Beach insider Rob Brooks reassured the public that, in some cases, flights weren’t being cancelled due to a shortage of jet fuel, but for an entirely different reason.
Mr Brooks explained: “Yes, some flights are being cancelled. But it’s not because planes can’t fly, or destinations are unsafe. It’s because, in some cases, it’s become too expensive to fly certain routes for airlines.
“When fuel prices spike like this, the airlines have a choice: they can either run the flight and lose money, or they can cancel it. And occasionally, they choose to cancel it.”
Mr Brooks also noted that many airlines are shielded from rising fuel costs in part due to a practice known as fuel hedging, whereby they secure fuel prices several months in advance.
He concluded: “Yes, fuel prices are rising right now, a lot of airlines are protected from that, especially for summer 2026 at least. Airlines like Ryanair and easyJet are well-known for hedging a big chunk of their fuel early, so they’re not suddenly scrambling or cancelling loads of flights overnight.”
Mr Brooks further highlighted that only a small proportion – around one per cent of flights – have been cancelled, meaning services to Spain, Germany, France, Greece, and other European destinations are still expected to go ahead as normal.
