Spain and other parts of western Europe are expected to face unusually warm temperatures in May, offering little relief from drought risks.

Long-range forecasts point to hotter conditions across the region, and Seville in Spain, is seen entering the month with highs well above 30 deg C. On Thursday, Spain recorded its hottest temperature ever for April, hitting 38.8 deg C at the Cordoba airport in southern Spain, its meteorological service said.

Europe already faced its worst drought in centuries in 2022 and saw prolonged periods without rain over the winter, which was the second-warmest on record.

“Very dry soils are being observed across Iberia indeed, with the region being under widespread drought warnings,” said Atmospheric G2 meteorologist Andrew Pedrini. “Warmer temperatures and lack of precipitation may worsen drought conditions over there through the next couple of weeks.”

Some relief for drought warnings may come from a more unsettled pattern taking shape towards mid-month, said Maxar Technologies meteorologist Matthew Dross. Mr Pedrini is less optimistic and sees no significant force improving drought conditions.

Prolonged heat could pose a test for governments, utilities and agriculture, with about 60 per cent of the Spanish countryside already gripped by drought as at mid-April. Southern Europe is a heavyweight in fruit and vegetables, and lower harvests could worsen the region’s food-price inflation.

Meanwhile, eastern parts of Europe are likely to be engulfed by colder weather in May, according to Maxar Technologies. And Britain’s cool, wet start to spring should pave the way for above-average temperatures paired with lower odds of windy spells in the second half, its national forecaster said.

Wind power will be below average for Britain and Nordics, at normal levels in Germany, and with some windier periods in southern Europe, said Mr Vasileios Pappas, a meteorologist at MET Group, a Swiss energy company. Lower wind generation could send power prices higher due to greater reliance on traditional fuels for heating.

Hydropower reservoir levels are also likely to decline in Iberia and Scandinavia, Mr Pappas said.

The exceptionally mild winter marked a stroke of luck for Europe since it helped reduce gas needs during the energy crisis. However, a particularly hot spring and summer may increase demand for cooling and thwart efforts to refill storage tanks ahead of next winter.

The continent’s gas inventories currently are more than 58 per cent full, about 20 percentage points above the average for the previous five years. BLOOMBERG