Date Published: 21/07/2021
ARCHIVED - Heat warning for Murcia region on Thursday amplified
ARCHIVED ARTICLE The warning now includes all of the Murcia region except the area around the Mar Menor
So far this year July has produced some challenging weather in the Region of Murcia (and incdeed other areas of Spain), with scorching heatwaves making way for cooler temperatures, only for the thermometers to swing right back up again.
This will again be the case on Thursday, July 22, according to the State Meteorological Service, Aemet which has now amplified the severe heat warning issued yesterday for the Guadalentín Valley, Lorca and Águilas, to include all of the region except the area surrouding the Mar Menor (the campo de Cartagena).
The weather warning covers the period between the hours of 2pm and 9pm for extreme high temperatures, which could go as high as a blistering 40 degrees.
Aemet has now amplified its warning and expects the Altiplano, which is Yecla and Jumilla to hit 39 degrees, so has issued a yellow alert. This same warning level also applies to Lorca, Águilas and the Guadalentin Valley, whcih runs along from Puerto Lumbreras across the bottom of the Sierra Espuña, so also includes areas such as Alhama and Totana; the warning here is for maximums of 38 degrees.
The Segura river valley which runs down along the length of the Segura and encompasses, Cieza, Blanca etc down to the regional capital is on orange alert for 40 degrees, as is the north-west of the region which includes Caravaca, Moratalla, Cehegín, Calasparra etc which is also expecting 40 degree maximums.
Only the area around the Mar Menor remains clear of the alert warning at the moment, and can expect a "cooler" 35 degree maximum, although this area will pay the price overnight with a minimum of 25 degrees, officially classified as a "torrid night", so in other words, no sleep as it's just too hot!
Time to schedule a paella for 2am in the morning!
Climatology experts at the University of
Alicante have predicted temperatures could climb as high as 44 degrees on Wednesday, July 21 in neighbouring Alicante province, sparking the province’s third heatwave so far this year.
Throughout the rest of Spain, a warm air mass from the North of Africa is due to reach the mainland on Wednesday and could see temperatures climbing to a breathtaking 44 degrees in some parts of the country as the weekend approaches.
With this new weather warning in place, the Murcia Health Department has issued a series of guidelines to keep people safe in the extreme heat, which include avoiding direct sun exposure wherever possible, drinking plenty of water and staying out of the sun during the hotter hours of the day.