Weather

Malaga province has seen its hottest June on record

The average temperature was 25.4 degrees Celsius, 3.3 degrees higher than normal for this time of year; "It's a big difference," warn meteorologists

Málaga

Friday, 4 July 2025, 11:34

Malaga province has just left behind the warmest month of June since data has been collected (1961). "By a long way," said Jesús Riesco - director of the Aemet meteorological centre in Malaga.

The average temperature has risen to 25.4C, which is 3.3C above normal. The previous record was in 2017, when it was 2.6C above average. Both maximum and minimum temperatures have risen. As a reference to keep in mind: the first seven warmest months of June have all been in the 21st century.

25.4C

was the average temperature in the province, the highest since records began in 1961

Malaga city's official thermometer is at the airport. This has shown that the Costa del Sol capital has also experienced the warmest June since the first records from 1943.

The average maximum temperature was 31.1C, while the minimum was 21.2C. The absolute average was 26.2C. During the reference period (1991-2020), the monthly average was 23.6C, which is "a huge difference" of 2.6C.

3.3C

above normal - the abnormal situation experienced during the past month

The next warmest year was 2022, with 26.1C. Also hot were 2012 (25.5C); 2017 (25.3C); 2003 (25.2C) and 2023 (24.8C) - all in the 21st century.

What is the reason for this?

The main circumstance is the predominance of a warm air mass from the warm African ridge at mid-levels during a large part of the month. Then comes the predominance of the easterly wind on the surface, which has caused very high minimum temperatures.

26.2C

was the absolute average in Malaga city, which is the highest since data has been available (1943).

"Day after day, practically every day the average has been higher, both in maximum and minimum temperatures," said Riesco. The sea has also reached temperature levels that are typically observed at the end of August. The thermometer managed by the port authority has recorded 26C in Malaga city. The whole Mediterranean, the Alboran and the Balearic seas have been well above normal.

A month of tropical nights

In reality, the most felt changes during this heatwave happened at night, when the minimum did not drop below 20C. "In the summer, it is almost always like that, and not only at the airport, but also in many places inland," said Jesús Riesco.

2.6C

above the reference period (1991-2020) has been recorded at the airport

On 24 days in June, the minimum at night was above 20C. Malaga city had maximum night temperatures of 23.9C and was spared torrid nights, which happen when temperatures don't drop below 25C. However, such phenomena was experienced in inland parts of Andalucía, especially in the Guadalquivir Valley

It is still unlikely that the coast of Malaga would experience a torrid night, although July and August could experience warm easterly wind, depending on sea temperatures.

An 'oasis' during the first heatwave of the summer

The province of Malaga, along with Almeria, presented "abnormal" cases for southern Spain in June. These were the only two provinces where there were no heatwave warnings during the recent episode at the end of June, which turned most of the country into an oven.

This does not mean that temperatures have not been well above normal for this period, but that "the warning thresholds have not been reached", as explained by Jesús Riesco. Despite this detail, the provinces have experienced a very uncomfortable combination of heat and humidity. "The sea is very warm and relative humidity is very high," said Riesco.

Malaga has also been spared the storms that have occurred in other parts of inland Andalucía, especially in Jaén. It is unlikely that the province will experience any in July. There is a possibility that there will be a wave of the warm 'terral' wind, either this or next week.

As for the general forecast for July, Jesús Riesco forecasts another month warmer than usual. "This is nothing new, it is the same every year - the 1991-2020 reference period is already behind us, in the context of climate change."

For the time being, the short-term forecast is for temperatures to drop in the interior of the province, for example in the Antequera district and Ronda, while remaining stable in Malaga city and along the coast, with a maximum temperature of around 30C.