Date Published: 18/07/2024
Heatwave warning in Spain this weekend: Weather forecast July 18-21
Dozens of towns and cities in southern Spain are on alert for temperatures in the 40s over the next few days
Weather warnings for high temperatures on Friday
The very first heatwave of the summer season is winging its way towards Spain, and in several parts of the south the thermometers are expected to hit 44ºC in the next few days. What’s more, the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has already said that this episode of heat will be “long-lasting”, likely stretching out until July 25; however, there will be a slightly cooler period over the weekend.
A powerful anticyclone in Algeria will induce winds from the south that will bring a very warm and dry air mass which, together with the bright daytime sunshine, will cause a dramatic increase in temperatures in a large part of Spain, explained Luis Bañón, spokesperson for Aemet.
Weather warnings on Thursday
From Thursday July 18, this hot air mass will cause the mercury to shoot up throughout the country, but southern Spain and the northeast will bear the brunt. In all, twelve regions have been placed on alert from midday, with capitals like Toledo, Sevilla, Granada, Córdoba, Ciudad Real and Badajoz tipped to reach 40-42ºC.
Not far behind are Albacete, Cáceres, Cuenca, Guadalajara, Huesca, Jaén, Lérida, Logroño, Madrid, Teruel and Zaragoza and many others, where the mercury will climb to 38-39ºC.
Unfortunately, the air will be heavy with Saharan dust, especially in the south of Spain.
Average temperatures on Friday
But that’s not even close to the worst of it, as the heat is expected to peak on Friday July 19, and the 40ºC-mark will be hit in even more towns, with Córdoba soaring up to 44ºC.
The evenings will bring very little relief, with tropical and even torrid nights expected all weekend. On Friday, the minimums will not drop below 24ºC in large areas of the southeast and, more occasionally, in other parts of the southern half of the country.
Weather warnings on Saturday
From Saturday July 20 onwards, the entry of cooler Atlantic air is likely to cause a drop in temperatures on the Atlantic coast, although temperatures will still be quite high in eastern Spain, where a westerly wind will cause a further increase.
Thermometers will exceed 35ºC in most of the south and northeast, as well as inland areas of the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands, while temperatures will reach 40ºC in the Guadalquivir, inland areas of Murcia and Alicante and in valleys in the northeast.
Average temperatures on Sunday
Looking ahead to Sunday July 21, the temperature drop that began on Saturday will move to the Cantabrian area and the northeast of Spain, and could be particularly noticeable around the Ebro valley.
In the rest of the country and the Balearic Islands, temperatures will drop ever so slightly, except on the southeast coasts where they will begin to climb once more.
Join our Spain Weather Watch Facebook group for regular updates
Images: Aemet
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