Simon Hunter
AS SPAIN swelters in an ongoing heatwave, there were weather warnings issued on Tuesday for temperatures as high as 42 and even 43ºC in areas such as Aragon, the Balearic Islands and Catalonia.
Monday already saw the mercury reach nearly 45ºC in areas such as Montoro in Cordoba province and Andujar in Jaen.
There has been no respite once the sun has gone down, either, with tropical night temperatures of above 25ºC in coastal Mediterranean areas and big cities such as Madrid.
The worst-affected, however, was Montalban in Teruel province. There the temperature only fell to 29.7ºC during the night hours.
Spokesperson for the Aemet state weather service, Ruben del Campo, told Spanish daily El Pais that these conditions are very unusual.
“The intensity of this heat is not normal and it is convenient to take precautions,” he said.
The heatwave has been caused by a mass of very warm air that has moved up from Africa and over the Iberian peninsula. What’s more, the air contains dust particles, something that makes the conditions even more dangerous for vulnerable members of the population.
Read more:
- Municipalities in Spain’s Andalucia on orange weather alert for blistering heat today, Tuesday
- Fresh heatwave expected to hit Spain on Monday, with highs of 44ºC possible
- National Geographic recommends town in Spain’s Andalucia as best to escape heatwave
