Aemet warns of severe storms and sharp temperature drop across Andalucía

In Cadiz, warnings have been issued for the countryside and Grazalema, where storms could bring hail and very strong gusts of wind. The same conditions are expected in the Ronda area of Malaga province.

In Cordoba, the countryside is under a warning for high temperatures, while the Sierra and Pedroches areas are under a storm warning because of the possibility of hail.

In Jaén, warnings cover the provincial capital, as well as the Montes, Cazorla and Segura, Morena and Condado and Guadalquivir valley areas.

Some of the storms could produce downbursts, powerful descending currents of air that can bring hail, intense thunderstorms and sudden gusts of wind exceeding 80 km/h.

A downburst is a strong convective downdraft, often originating within a thunderstorm cloud, that produces potentially destructive winds. It typically covers an area of less than 10 kilometres across and can last between five and 30 minutes.

When it covers less than four kilometres, it's known as a microburst, which generally lasts no more than 15 minutes. Downbursts can be wet or dry, depending on whether precipitation from the storm cloud reaches the ground.

The storms will coincide with a significant drop in temperatures across much of Andalucía this week.

In Seville, maximum temperatures are expected to fall by between five and six degrees, while minimum temperatures will drop below 20 degrees.

In Cordoba, one of the Andalusian provincial capitals currently experiencing the most intense heat, the cooler conditions will become particularly noticeable from Thursday.

Nights will be cooler, especially at the weekend, when minimum temperatures are forecast to reach 15 degrees. Huelva and Cadiz will also become cooler, although the change will be less pronounced.

The easternmost Andalusian provinces are expected to see temperatures fall from Thursday or Friday, with both daytime highs and overnight lows a few degrees cooler than current levels.