First 'terral' wind of summer blasts Malaga with intense 35C heat

The first hot ‘terral’ wind of the summer blowing towards the coast from inland has blasted Malaga with intense heat, with some areas reaching temperatures as high as 35C.

The highest recorded yesterday (Wednesday 14 June) were in the Malaga province towns of Coín, where it reached 35.3 degrees at 5pm, according to official Aemet data; and Colmenar, with almost 34. Meanwhile, Manilva had the strongest winds, registering gusts of up to 47 km/h.

The heat was noticeable in Malaga city, especially in the middle part of the day, where the thermometer remained at 32C at the airport and at the headquarters of the Meteorological Centre, in El Cónsul; while it did not exceed 30 in the port.

José Luis Escudero, local expert in Malaga meteorology and head of the SUR blog Tormentas y Rayos (storms and lightning), said that the 'terral' swept through Rincón de la Victoria yesterday, where it does not usually reach, bringing a maximum temperature higher than in Malaga city, with 32.5 degrees recorded at midday.

"Yesterday was the day to be on the beach in Rincón and feel the hot air from behind and the cool air in front," he said.

Today (Thursday 15 June), the wind is expected to shift slightly to the east, meaning thermometers will remain around 30 degrees in Malaga city and along the coast. Higher temperatures will be recorded in the upper Guadalhorce.

Showers return

In an unusual start to summer, showers could return to the province from Sunday (18 June), and may even last until Tuesday of next week.

"Indeed, it is possible; a new low to the northwest of the mainland may leave us with a band of precipitation entering from the south towards the north,” Aemet spokesperson Jesús Riesco said.

If rain does fall, it will be light showers that will affect the whole province, without any specific location pointed out; and with the possibility that it may also leave some muddy rain from a Sahara desert sand 'calima', as it will come from a southerly direction.

José Luis Escudero agreed with the forecast: "On Sunday it may rain; there is a trough with cold air at high altitude to the northwest of Galicia, it is not certain but there may be some storms in Malaga city or inland".