A substrate processing method includes covering, in advance, the surface of a substrate with water, holding the substrate generally horizontally with the surface facing upward and rotating it in a horizontal plane, and blowing to the substrate top surface drying gas flow that is thin in area in comparison with the substrate surface, in which the water is removed from the substrate top surface by the rotation in the horizontal plane while blowing the drying gas flow, a substrate processing apparatus for implementing the above method, and a control program for use with the above method and apparatus.