Cristina Hodgson
HEATWAVES in June have tripled in the last twelve years, according to weather experts.
As indicated by Ruben del Campo, spokesperson for Spain’s Met Office, AEMET, the frequency of heatwaves in this first month of summer has tripled in the last twelve years.
During a meeting with other meteorologists, together with the vice-president and minister for Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera, Del Campo explained that summers ‘are lengthening, gaining ground in autumn and, above all, in spring, almost 7 days per decade of early summer onset’.
“For this reason, if the summer lasts longer, it is logical to think that heatwaves may arrive earlier and, moreover, they do so with increasingly higher temperatures.” Del Campo said.
“We have an increase of 3 days per decade in the number of heatwave days each summer,” the weather expert added.
According to Del Campo, temperatures have risen between 1 and 1.2 ºC since the 70s seeing, on average, 15 more hot days than 50 years ago.
What’s more, heatwaves affect between 13 and 14 more provinces on average than in the 1980s.
In addition, “tropical nights” are on the increase and sea water temperatures have risen.
READ MORE:
Spain’s June heatwave to last until at least Thursday, with 44ºC temperatures likely
AEMET warns of a sultry summer ahead in Spain
First heatwave of the summer, with highs of 45ºC, could hit Spain this week
