How long will these unusually high temperatures continue in Malaga and on the Costa del Sol?

The so-called 'Veranillo de San Miguel', a brief rise in temperatures that usually happens at the beginning of autumn in Malaga, this year has turned into a proper summer, not only because of its intensity but also because of its duration, as the mercury will remain high at least until the middle of next week. Most days temperatures are hovering around 30C throughout the province, much higher than normal for this time of year, and the worst thing is that there is no rain forecast in the short term.

Jesús Riesco, director of the Aemet state weather agency in Malaga, explained the situation is caused by an anticyclonic weather system at all levels, with a very warm air mass over the mainland, "which will be present for quite a few days"; and to which must be added the fact that there are still long hours of sunshine. "For this time of year it is very unusual at a national level: although in Malaga it is almost anecdotal, in some parts of Spain there are more than 10 degrees difference with respect to the average".

In Malaga, the difference is more noticeable inland than on the coast, with significant anomalies in the former, but for the moment there are no record highs in the main weather stations, as in other parts of the interior of the Andalucía region and the north of the mainland. Therefore, in Malaga city and along the Costa del Sol, maximum temperatures are around 28-29C, when the average is usually 24C (ie. 4-5 degrees above normal). As for minimum temperatures, they would normally fall to 16, and now they are around 19-20C (plus 3 to 4 degrees). On the other hand, in Antequera the situation is much more accentuated, with 31 degrees during the day compared to the 23 expected at the beginning of October (plus 8 degrees); and the usual minimums are 12C and they now stand at 18C (+6C).

At the moment, it will continue like this all week, and next week is also expected to continue to be warmer than normal, but not as much. But the worst thing is that this is traditionally one of the rainiest months and so far no precipitation is expected in the short term. However, in the middle of next week there is a possibility of an isolated cold low depression forming in the weather models, so in the second half of the week (around the 11th or 12th) there could be a change in the weather.

"There is a possibility but it is still a long way off and we have to wait," warned the meteorologist.

"This has gone from the summer of San Miguel to the summer of Miguelón", joked José Luis Escudero, an expert on the weather in Malaga and head of the SUR blog Tormentas y Rayos (Storms and Lightning). He pointed to the record temperatures that are occurring in several Spanish provinces and are even being exceeded from one day to the next, especially inland Andalucía, where it has reached 38C, and in the north of mainland Spain. Escudero added that in Malaga "we are really getting away with it, compared to what is happening in Seville and Cordoba, it is even hotter in the north than in the south of Spain".

"The worst thing is that this situation will continue, at least until the 12th of October or later, according to the weather models, and there is no sign of rain or cold". However, he said, the sea water temperature is around 21C at the moment and the sun is not as intense as in the middle of summer, so these are ideal days for going to the beach.