Highs of 38 degrees and tropical nights: a summery week in store for Andalucía

The weather will take a significant turn this week, which is expected to remain stable and dry, with temperatures climbing well above the seasonal norm. The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) forecasts highs of up to 38°C and "tropical nights" where temperatures will not drop below 20°C in several provinces.

"From tomorrow, an anticyclone will take centre stage. It will be accompanied by a subtropical warm air mass that will affect us throughout the week. There will be areas of the Guadalquivir valley that will reach 35°C," warns José Luis Escudero in his weather blog Tormentas y rayos.

The approach of an African ridge will facilitate the arrival of a much warmer air mass, prompting a generalised rise in temperatures. According to the specialised website Meteored, "Temperatures will begin to rise gradually until they reach almost canicular values by the end of the week."

In Andalucía, the mercury will start to rise more sharply on Wednesday. On that day, temperatures will exceed 30°C across large areas. In the Guadalquivir valley, Aemet expects peaks of between 34°C and 36°C, particularly in Seville and Córdoba.

On Thursday and Friday, stable conditions will persist with practically no rainfall across the community. "Temperatures will continue to rise progressively, and by Thursday we will see tropical nights - where the temperature stays above 20°C. This is likely in coastal cities such as Malaga and Almería," adds Aemet spokesman Rubén del Campo.

By Friday, the forecast predicts a further spike in maximum temperatures, potentially hitting 38°C in Seville. In Cádiz, unseasonably high minimum temperatures of 21°C are expected.

There is greater uncertainty regarding the weather forecast for the coming weekend. Some meteorological models suggest the heatwave and stability will continue across the country. However, others predict a shift, with showers in the northern half of Spain and a general cooling of the atmosphere.

The exception may be the Mediterranean coast, where temperatures could rise slightly further, and the Guadalquivir valley, where the intense heat is expected to linger.

"For now, both scenarios have more or less the same probability, so we will have to wait for future updates to see which way the balance tips," the Aemet spokesman concluded.