Laurence Dollimore
SPAIN has placed several provinces on red alert today due to extreme temperatures sparked by the so-called ‘Iberian oven’ heatwave.
The Health Ministry ranks the risk to life from severe weather using a traffic light system, ranging from green (no risk), to yellow (low risk), orange (medium risk) and finally red (high risk).
Today, parts of the south, centre and eastern coast have been placed on the highest alert, with temperatures set to surpass 40C today, before potentally reaching 44C tomorrow.
READ MORE: ‘Iberian oven’ heatwave to roll into Spain this week
In Andalucia, these areas include much of Sevilla province and Guadix & Baza, in Granada.
Meanwhile, the Costa del Sol, Ronda and parts of Cordoba are on orange alert.
In eastern Spain, the southern coast of Valencia is on red alert for risk to life today, with temperatures set to reach up to 38C.
Other areas on red alert from the health ministry include; Albacete and Guadiana in Castilla La-Mancha and parts of Madrid, Palencia, Zamora and Salamanca.
It comes as mass of warm air will once again blow onto the peninsula today, which will be intensified by days of uninterrupted sunshine.
These factors will be paired with very weak winds and high solar radiation, creating the so-called ‘Iberian oven’, bringing highs of up to 44C.
The term comes from the fact that the Iberian Peninsula, made of mainland Spain and Portugal, essentially begins to generate its own heat due to the extreme conditions.
The most at-risk areas surround the three major valleys of Spain; the Guadalquivir, the Guadiana and the Ebro.
These include large parts of Extremadura, Castilla-La Mancha and inland Andalucia, including Sevilla, Cordoba and Jaen.
All the aforementioned regions are predicted to see highs of 42C today and Wednesday, and could even reach 44C during the latter.
High temperatures are also expected in central Spain, with temperatures of 40C in parts of Madrid, Zaragoza and the south of Lleida.
Dozens of provinces are on yellow and orange alerts for the extreme heat until at least Wednesday evening.
In the north, the atmosphere will be a little cooler, although thermometers will also rise and remain around 25C.
The coasts will also avoid the oven-like temperatures but will still remain warmer than average.
Marbella will see highs of 31C over the next couple of days, for example, while Alicante it will soar as high as 32C.
