Travellers in Spain have been warned of rain and thunderstorms across a large part of the country with authorities forced to issue yellow and amber weather warnings. This will likely cause panic among British tourists who have planned a Spanish holiday. The wet weather will sweep across the country as temperatures drop in marked contrast to the unseasonable high temperatures seen across large parts of the UK.

According to the state weather agency Aement, this week will herald the start of poor weather conditions on the Spanish mainland and in the Balearic Islands. The weather could become so extreme that hail might be seen in some areas. The agency said: “The week of May 5-11 will bring unstable weather: showers will eventually reach almost the entire territory.

“They will be more abundant in the north and west of the Peninsula.

“Temperatures will be low for this time of year. Snow and frost will fall in mountain areas.”

The drop in temperatures is said to be as a result of polar winds arriving from northern Europe, which could leave some parts of the country with temperatures as low as freezing.

Weather data from WXCharts.com shows freezing temperatures across the north of Spain, with temperatures below zero in Valladolid, La Coruna and the border region with France.

According to Aemet, heavy rain will hit Catalonia, the centre and south of the mainland, as well as in the north of the most mountainous areas of the Canary Islands.

The Balearic Islands and the Valencian region could also be hit as the extreme weather sweeps across the country.

Spanish Meteorological experts Tiempo said: “Aside from the significant drop in temperature we’ll experience in the coming days, bringing with it the risk of frost, which is so dangerous for agriculture at this time of year, atmospheric instability isn’t going away. 

“We’ll have renewed rain and showers, which could affect almost the entire peninsula on Sunday and Monday, continuing through Tuesday and Wednesday at a lower intensity.”

It added: “Snow could fall again in all mountain ranges in the northern half, although it would be light snowfall at high altitudes.

“Snowfall could be somewhat more significant in parts of the Pyrenees, where more than 5 cm of new snow could accumulate between Monday and Tuesday.”