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Spain is bracing itself for the warmest day of the entire year on Wednesday August 9, with red alerts issued for towns and cities across Andalucia, Castilla y León, Castilla-La Mancha, Madrid, Extremadura and the Basque Country, for temperatures as high as 45ºC forecast. According to the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet), this mid-week extreme heat is caused by a combination of atmospheric stability and a waft of hot, dry air and suspended dust blowing in from North Africa.

 

Last month was the warmest ever recorded across the globe but here in Spain, several heat records are expected to be broken up and down the country on Wednesday. We’ll have to wait until the end of the day to see if we eclipse the suffocating high of 47.6ºC registered in Córdoba back in 2021.

 

At slightly lower risk of scorching temperatures on Wednesday, with orange alerts, are Aragón, Asturias, Cantabria, Navarra and Rioja, with temperatures between 35 and 40ºC, while in Catalonia, Galicia and the interior of the Valencian Community, the weather warning will drop to yellow, below 35ºC.

 

But the bad news doesn’t end there, since along with the baking hot day much of Spain will swelter in a decidedly sticky, muggy night. In most parts of the country, the minimum temperatures won’t drop much below 23-25ºC, making it very difficult to sleep. This is due to a haze covering the Spanish skies, leading to tropical, and even torrid nights. The presence of this haze causes the heat released at night to become trapped in the atmosphere, preventing the air from cooling down.

 

Faced with the most punishing heat episode of the year, the health authorities have reminded residents and tourists to avoid the sun in the middle of the day, stay hydrated and avoid any outdoor sports or strenuous activities.

 

 

Image 1: Freepik

Image 2: Aemet