Mallorca Faces Unseasonably Warm Temperatures Amid Stormy Weather Pattern
The Balearic Islands are experiencing unusually warm February temperatures this week, with meteorologists predicting significant rainfall and strong winds through Saturday. According to María José Guerrero, the Balearic Islands representative for Spain’s State Meteorological Agency (Aemet), Tuesday’s highs of 18-22°C represent a notable 3-6°C increase over Monday’s temperatures and stand well above Mallorca’s February average of 15.5°C.
Thermal Anomaly and Rainfall Patterns
Nighttime temperatures will also remain atypically mild, hovering between 8-13°C compared to the typical February minimum of 6°C. Cloudy skies will dominate throughout the week with recurring rain showers. Winds from the west and southwest will range from light to moderate during daylight hours, strengthening to 60 km/h gusts at night. Aemet has issued a yellow warning for southern coastal areas starting Tuesday evening due to anticipated 2-3 meter waves.
Midweek Weather Escalation
Wednesday, February 11: The thermal anomaly persists with highs of 18-22°C and lows of 10-16°C. Wind intensity increases significantly with sustained speeds of 60-70 km/h from western directions. The rough seas warning expands to include all coastal areas as wave heights increase to 3-4 meters.
Thursday, February 12: Winds intensify further with 70-80 km/h gusts across most regions and potential 100 km/h bursts in mountainous areas. Despite clearer skies, temperatures begin slightly cooling to 12-18°C highs while maintaining elevated nighttime lows.
Weekend Storm System Approaches
A new Atlantic storm arrives Friday, February 13, bringing widespread rainfall and maintaining strong westerly winds. This unstable pattern continues through Saturday, February 14, with Guerrero noting: “We’re observing a persistent western airflow transporting both warmer air masses and precipitation systems atypical for early February.”
Aemet’s historical data confirms this week’s temperatures exceed 85% of February observations recorded since 2005 at Palma’s Portopí station. The agency attributes this pattern to a stalled high-pressure system over the eastern Atlantic driving subtropical air toward the Mediterranean.
Residents and visitors should prepare for rapidly changing conditions, particularly marine activities where sudden wind shifts and wave height increases create hazardous conditions. The unusually warm temperatures don’t preclude cold snaps later in February based on Aemet’s seasonal modeling.
For official weather alerts and real-time updates, consult Aemet’s national forecasting service.
Source: Majorca Daily Bulletin
Images Credit: www.majorcadailybulletin.com