Why does it always seem to rain during Semana Santa in Malaga?
Every year, without fail, as Semana Santa approaches, the people of Malaga look skyward, anticipating the arrival of an uninvited guest: rain.
This phenomenon seems to persist regardless of when Easter falls, with many processions either being cancelled or considerably shortened due to the wet weather.
It’s a recurring scenario that has puzzled Spaniards for years. So, why does it always seem to rain during Semana Santa?
How true is the Easter rain myth?
To gauge the veracity of the claim that Semana Santa in Malaga is inevitably accompanied by rain, let’s turn to meteorological data spanning from 1991 to 2020 (via eltiempo.es).
Analysing this data reveals a compelling trend: rain is indeed a common occurrence during Easter Week.
In fact, over the past three decades, the province of Malaga has experienced some form of rainfall during Semana Santa for 25 out of 30 years.
However, when looking at individual days, only 23.333 per cent of days saw rain (nonetheless a high number considering how little rainfall there is in Malaga province).
Why does it rain so much in spring in Malaga?
The fact that it always seems to rain during Semana Santa becomes even more puzzling when you consider that it falls on different dates each year due to its connection to the lunar calendar.
Ever since 325 AD, Easter Sunday has always been celebrated on the first Sunday that follows the first full moon after the Spring Equinox (21 March).
As a result, Palm Sunday, which marks the beginning of Semana Santa, varies annually between 22 March and 25 April.
In Spain, during the period around the spring equinox, characterised by longer days, unstable and rainy weather with sudden changes is quite common.
Moreover, early spring often brings about the phenomenon known locally as the “gota fría” or isolated high-level depression (DANA), making it a volatile time of year, meteorologically speaking.
What happens to the Easter processions if it rains?
Of all the different types of adverse weather, rain is the one feared most by the brotherhoods (cofradías) that organise them.
Wet weather can cause widespread disruption, not only because water can damage the delicate decorations adorning the floats (tronos), but also because slippery streets, particularly in the city centre, significantly increase the risk of accidents.
In Malaga, where the weather can change in an instant, the brotherhoods themselves decide what to do when faced with an ominous forecast.
If the rain is only light, they may decide to go ahead with their processions as normal, shorten the route or delay until the weather improves.
However, if the rain is heavy or storms are forecast, processions are normally called off and those who have been rehearsing for months will have to wait until next year.
Daryl is the co-founder of Malaga Guru. He is a copywriter, editor and translator who moved to Malaga a decade ago having first fallen in love with the city on his Erasmus year. After working for many years at local expat newspaper SUR in English, Daryl gained expert knowledge in life from the perspective of foreign residents and decided to co-found this site in 2016.