Malaga braces for heatwave as first terral wind threatens 39C highs

Malaga is bracing for its first major "terral" wind of the season as a blistering heatwave threatens to push temperatures up to 39C next week.

Local weather experts have warned that a cool spring interlude is coming to an abrupt end this weekend, with both daytime and nighttime temperatures set to soar across the entire province.

The heat is expected to peak between next Tuesday and Wednesday, marking a scorching debut for the start of the meteorological summer on Monday.

Writing on his Tormentas y Rayos weather blog, local expert José Luis Escudero warned: "From Saturday the thermal oasis is over, and maximum and minimum temperatures will begin to rise across the province. Sunday will be the peak day."

Temperatures in Malaga city, the eastern coastline and the Axarquía region are forecast to hover between 30C and 32C over the weekend, while the Antequera region and the Guadalhorce Valley could see the mercury shoot up to 35C.

Beachgoers can look forward to light winds and unusually warm sea temperatures of 23C. However, the heat will bring uncomfortable "tropical nights" where temperatures will fail to drop below 20C.

Spain's state meteorological agency, Aemet, confirmed that a high-altitude warm ridge is moving over the country, bringing unseasonably hot and stable weather to Andalucía.

Yellow weather alerts have already been activated for Saturday afternoon across the provinces of Seville, Cordoba and Jaén, where temperatures are expected to hit 38C.

While Malaga is currently free of official weather warnings, experts predict that alerts could be triggered by Tuesday when the interior towns of Coín and Pizarra are expected to hit a blistering 39C.

Malaga capital and the Axarquía coast could see highs of 37C, while the western Costa del Sol will experience slightly milder conditions, with Torremolinos, Benalmádena, Mijas and Marbella tracking between 34C and 35C.