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Sweltering Heatwave: Temperatures to reach 44ºC

By Catherine McGeer • Published: 07 Jul 2023 • 17:32

Thermometre in the sand on the beach

Sweltering Summer: Spain Braces for Record-Breaking Heatwave Image: Shutterstock/ Andrey Popov

First Heatwave of Summer Predicts Temperatures Above 44 Degrees Celsius

The first heatwave of the summer is set to hit the Costa Cálida, bringing scorching temperatures above 44 degrees Celsius in some areas. This comes on the heels of the hottest June ever recorded globally, with temperatures surpassing the average by 0.5°C. The North Atlantic, in particular, experienced “exceptional” warming.

The upcoming spike in temperatures is attributed to a mass of warm air from North Africa, specifically Algeria, which will sweep across the eastern and southern regions of the Iberian Peninsula. Other areas like in the southern and southeastern thirds of Spain, as well as the Balearic Islands, are expected to bear the brunt of this heatwave. However, the central areas and the Ebro Valley may also be affected.

The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has stated that this heatwave may mark the first official episode of extreme heat for the summer. Temperatures are predicted to soar above 40ºC from Sunday and are likely to exceed 38ºC throughout the week. There are even concerns that temperatures could reach 45 or 46ºC in some parts of western Andalusia, nearing absolute temperature records for July.

In addition to high daytime temperatures, minimum temperatures will remain remarkably warm, with tropical nights above 25 degrees Celsius expected in the southeast. The Aemet warns that the episode of very high temperatures may persist, with a slight decrease anticipated toward the end of the week, but overall, the heat is expected to persist.

While Spain braces for this heatwave, the global climate situation remains alarming. The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service reports that June 2023 was the warmest June ever recorded worldwide, surpassing the previous record set in 2019. Surface temperatures of oceans and the North Atlantic were notably higher than average. Furthermore, extreme heat waves have been observed in the Baltic Sea. Experts emphasise that these records are cause for concern rather than celebration, as the summer season in the northern hemisphere has just begun and the El Niño phenomenon is developing. As July commences, the world has already witnessed two record-breaking global average daily temperatures.

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Written by

Catherine McGeer

I am an Irish writer who has been living in Spain for the past twenty years. My writing centers around the Costa Cálida. As a mother I also write about family life on the coast of Spain and every now and then I try to break down the world of Spanish politics!

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