Alex Trelinski
SPAIN’S State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has launched a special heatwave warning for Thursday with temperatures set to exceed 40ºC in several parts of the country.
The temperature hike will not affect the entire country equally, and will intensify especially in the southern half and in the Ebro Valley, where values are expected to reach up to 44ºC between Thursday and Saturday.
Aemet’s long-range forecast had predicted above average temperatures this summer, but so far July has not suffered the intense heatwaves of recent years.
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By this time last year, two heatwaves had already struck in July while in 2022, there were four days with maximum temperatures of 39ºC in the most intense heatwave ever recorded.
High pressure located over the interior of Algeria, will intensify and extend over the next few days towards the west of the Iberian peninsula.
From Wednesday, a very warm, dry air mass will begin to enter the west of the Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, which will be accompanied by suspended dust and will create haze in much of the southern half and east of the peninsula during Thursday and Friday.
The presence of this air mass, together with high insulation associated with great atmospheric stability, will cause a progressive rise in temperatures in much of Spain and the weekend.
The exception will be the north-west and Cantabria which will enjoy cooler Atlantic air.
The area most affected will be the southern half and north-eastern parts of Spain, where from Thursday, temperatures will exceed 38ºC.
They will reach 40 to 42ºC in the Guadiana, Tagus and Ebro valleys and range between 42 to 44ºC in the Guadalquivir valley.
Aemet has issued yellow and orange high temperature warnings for Thrusday in 11 regions: Andalucia, Aragon, Balearic Islands, Castilla-La Mancha, Catalunya, Extremadura, Madrid, Navarre, Basque Country, La Rioja and the Valencian Community
The peak is expected to be Friday with highs above 40ºC and also reaching between 36ºC and 38ºC in northern and inland areas of Mallorca.
Overnight temperatures in parts of southern Spain might not fall below 24ºC, making it uncomfortable for sleeping.
Temperatures on Sunday will start to fall to more ‘normal’ levels for the time of the year, and there’s even the chance of some rain in northern areas of the country.
