Spain was seeing its first official heatwave of the year on Thursday, with temperatures forecast to reach 40C in large parts of the country – with the possibility of reaching 44C in Mediterranean areas on Saturday, according to the national weather agency (AEMET).
It coincides with the Spanish government launching a heat risk awareness campaign for people working mostly outside.
AEMET has issued a heatwave warning for a large part of Spain, including the Balearic islands in the Mediterranean. In Spain, an official heatwave is a minimum of three consecutive days during which at least 10% of weather stations register highs above the 95% percentile of average maximum temperatures for July and August.
Spain’s National Institute for Safety and Health at Work launched its campaign, ‘With sun it’s time for caution’, on Wednesday in order to address the risks such as heat stroke and solar radiation.
AEMET’s orange-level severe heat alert in parts of the country will also trigger a ban on some outdoor working in the afternoon under a government decree approved last year to cope with more and more frequent heatwaves as a result of fossil fuel-driven climate change. The measure affects outdoors working such as street cleaning and agriculture.
After a relatively bearable spring compared to record heat in 2023 and 2022, millions of Spaniards will be sweltering at least through Saturday before feeling any relief. AEMET said the only areas to be spared will be the northwest and northern Atlantic coasts.
Weather forecasters said a large mass of hot air travelling across the Mediterranean from northern Africa will settle over central and southern Spain. That, combined with the typical harsh summer sun, will make cites like Sevilla, Toledo and Granada bake.
The hottest area will be the southern Guadalquivir river basin where thermometers could reach 44C. Six regions are under alerts for high temperatures.
The heatwave is expected to last until Saturday, although heat could persist until the middle of next week and will be accompanied by haze coming from Africa, which often exacerbates health problems during heat episodes.
2022 was the hottest year for Spain since it started keeping records in 1961. 2023 came in as the second hottest year. The first heatwave for last year arrived in June.
Authorities and experts agree that climate change is behind the rise in temperatures that is also feeding prolonged droughts and wildfires in the Mediterranean and other parts of the world.
⚠️Aviso especial por ola de calor.
El día 19 será el más adverso, con más de 40 ºC en amplias zonas del este y sur peninsular.
El sábado podrá llegarse a 44 ºC en puntos de la vertiente mediterránea, aunque habrá un descenso térmico en el resto.
🔗https://t.co/UVcBS8KWRC pic.twitter.com/iCwrazek6c
— AEMET (@AEMET_Esp) July 18, 2024
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