AS the UK sweltered through its hottest ever start to May yesterday, Spain was battered by yet another round of severe hailstorms.

Typically sunny Piedrabuena, in central Spain, has been hit by rain and hail showers, leaving streets coated in white.

Spain has started May with heavy rainfall as a powerful Atlantic front has swept across the country, bringing widespread showers, hail and cooler temperatures.

The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has issued orange alerts for severe storms, strong winds and hail in central and eastern areas of the peninsula,

These include Aragón, Castilla-La Mancha and the Valencian Community.

In Ciudad Real, towns were blanketed by a thick layer of hail after a violent morning storm.

Across much of the country, yellow alerts are in effect, including in Madrid, Andalusia, Catalonia, Galicia, and the Balearic Islands, due to heavy rain and thunderstorms.

Despite the dramatic weather, Aemet insists that there has been “no unusual meteorological phenomenon.”

In southern Galicia, thunderstorms lit up the skies overnight, signaling more unsettled weather to come.

Temperatures are also falling, with most areas unlikely to exceed 30°C, except in parts of Murcia.

Cities like Jaén, Granada, and Lleida will barely reach 26°C.

Saturday will bring thickening clouds and more showers, especially in the west, east interior and Balearic Islands.

By Sunday, rain is expected almost everywhere, with persistent downpours likely in the north.

This weather follows Storm Nuria, the fourteenth named high-impact storm of the season.

In early April, a red alert was issued in the Canary Islands, particularly Tenerife and La Palma, due to “hurricane-force” winds.

In anticipation of the storm, schools in Tenerife, La Palma and La Graciosa were closed.

The Canary Islands, typically known for their sunny weather and average temperatures around 18°C, saw extreme conditions.

Brits were advised to avoid the islands from midnight on April 3 due to the severe weather.

In late March, the Costa del Sol area also was battered by hailstones and torrential rain, particularly in Alhaurín el Grande, where streets were covered in ice and water.

March 2025 was recorded as the second-wettest March in Spain since 1943, with severe weather events impacting much of the country.

Meanwhile, Valencia was left devastated by deadly floods in October, which claimed the lives of 219 people.