Aemet extends heatwave warnings in Malaga and along the Costa del Sol to the weekend

Heat by day and by night, there will be no respite from the high temperatures in many parts of the province

Almudena Nogués

Malaga

Friday, 19 July 2024, 12:12 | Updated 12:19h.

It's here. The halfway point of July brings with it the most dreaded warning for many people: the first heatwave of the year (and, therefore, of the summer). Spain's state weather agency (Aemet) has warned of an anticyclone that will introduce, over the Spanish mainland and the Balearic Islands, "a mass of very warm, dry and stable air". Its presence, together with the high level of sunshine associated with the high level of atmospheric stability, will cause a generalised and progressive rise in temperatures across a large part of the mainland, mainly until the weekend. Malaga province will not escape this scenario.

As an appetiser, Aemet will this Friday (19 July) activate a yellow warning that will affect the Antequera and Ronda areas between 1pm and 9pm. Maximum temperatures of 39C are expected "which may occasionally reach 40 degrees", Aemet said. However, far from steadying, the thermometers will continue to climb towards the weekend. In fact, there is already a second warning in force for Saturday in Antequera, the Malaga city, the Costa del Sol and the Guadalhorce valley (also between 1pm and 9pm). At the moment it is also yellow, although it could go up in future updates. In towns such as Pizarra, Coín and Álora, the forecast is for temperatures of between 41 and 44C on Saturday and Sunday.

"At the weekend the 'terral' (warm wind) could reach the usual areas of the province of Malaga. For now the yellow warning has been activated for Saturday for maximum temperatures of 38C in the Sol and Guadalhorce areas, but it is very likely that in new updates it will also be activated in the Axarquia. Due to the shift of the winds to westerly, the calima (Sahara sand haze) will be removed", explained José Luis Escudero in his SUR blog 'Tormentas y Rayos' (storms and lightning) .

Heat by day and by night, there will be no respite

Heat by day and by night, there will be no respite. Aemet forecasts, the minimum temperatures will remain very high throughout Malaga, with records that will not fall below 25C in many Malaga municipalities including the city itself. Sleep, therefore, will be difficult in many homes. The question is, how long will the extreme heat last? The state agency has not yet refined its forecast. What it does seem is that from Saturday (20 July) the entry of a mass of cooler Atlantic air could lead to a drop in temperatures on the Atlantic side of the Spanish mainland. So much for the good news. The bad news? The temperatures will still remain quite high, "mainly in the eastern third of the peninsula where the westerly wind will cause an additional increase", explained Aemet.

"From Monday 22 July onwards, the uncertainty of the meteorological situation increases, making it difficult to determine the end of this heatwave episode. With the current information, the most likely scenario would indicate a new rise in temperatures, which could last until the middle of the week," it concluded. In Malaga, however, the state weather agency forecasts that the mercury will fall by almost 10C in Malaga city capital on that day, with the temperature fluctuating between 29C maximum and 23 degrees minimum.

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