Intense heat returns to the Peninsula (if it ever left this summer). The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has warned that Spain begins today its third heat wave which will probably last until Thursday, the 23rd.
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Although high daytime and nighttime temperatures will be felt across much of the peninsular territory, the areas most affected by this new onslaught will be the Mediterranean region and, overall, the east and south of the Peninsula, where temperatures of up to 45 degrees may be reached at times.
The result of all this is that today (Tuesday) extensive areas of seven Spanish autonomous communities will have orange alerts (significant health risk) decreed and up to 11 communities will include territory under yellow alert.
The highest risk areas are located in the Cordoban countryside, Guadalentín valley, Lorca, Águilas and Almanzora valley (where 41ºC is expected); the Guadalquivir valley, Cazorla, northern interior of Valencia (40ºC), and the depression of Lleida, Bajo Aragón and Ribera del Ebro (39ºC). The Pyrenees of Huesca and Lleida, Albarracín and Serranía de Cuenca will also be at this risk level with forecast highs of 37ºC.
On Wednesday the risk map will be similar, but the orange alert will gain territory especially in the Castilla-La Mancha region.
The heat will be accompanied by suspended dust, haze, and a worsening of air quality.
The first heat wave of the year in Spain, between the 20th and 23rd of last month, brought the hottest June days ever recorded in the country since at least 1950. On the 22nd and 23rd, a peninsular average of 7.1ºC above normal was recorded.
And in the second heat wave, between July 5th and 9th, the Catalan capital reached its highest temperature in absolute terms: 40.9ºC.
And this whole succession of high temperatures, which climatologists relate to climate change, will increase Aemet’s heat wave statistics supporting a very marked trend.
Not counting those recorded this year, since 1975 Spain has recorded 78 heat waves, totaling 458 days in this situation. In these 51 years, a statistical increase can be seen. While in the first half of this series (from 1975 to 2000) there were 129 days in a heat wave, in the second half (2001-2025) there were 329, more than double (multiplied by 2.5).
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The thermal relief this week will arrive on Friday and Saturday, according to Aemet; for those dates a widespread drop in temperatures is expected, and a milder environment and more bearable heat during the weekend.
Also, this heat will come accompanied by suspended dust, which will cause haze and a worsening of air quality. The fire risk will be very high or extreme in most of the territory during most of the week.
Today there will be a temperature spike after a very warm night in the Mediterranean regions, and on Wednesday, nighttime temperatures will rise again inland. It is likely that cities like Barcelona will not drop below 26 or 27 degrees.
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From Thursday uncertainty in the forecast increases, although Aemet points out that it is most likely that intense heat will continue, as temperatures will exceed 42 to 44 degrees in large areas. In the capital of Murcia, 45 degrees could be reached while in the rest the highs will generally be between 38 to 40 degrees in the east and south of the peninsula. From next week temperatures may rise again.
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