These are the Malaga province towns that have recorded eight of the ten highest temperatures in the whole of Spain

A "hellish" Thursday night, with temperatures not dropping below 30C, has given way to a Friday that looks set to be torrid in the province of Malaga. An amber alert for heat has been activated by Spain's state weather agency (Aemet) between 1pm and 9pm But even before that, eight of the ten stations with the highest temperatures recorded in the whole of Spain this morning were registered in the province.

In Rincón de la Victoria, the highest in the country, it reached 40C at 10.50am. Vélez-Málaga, second in Spain, warmed up to 39.7 degrees at midday. In third place, Algarrobo reached 38.5C followed by Malaga Airport (38.2 at 12.40); Torremolinos (37.8); Málaga Cónsul (37.3); Malaga Port (37.1), and Coín (36.4). Only Caravaca de La Cruz, Murcia (36.8) and Tortosa (Roquetes), Tarragona (36.3) are outside the province.

August has begun with a torrid start in Malaga province. The threat of an amber alert was more than fulfilled and on Thursday the thermometers soared, with the highest registered in Álora, where the afternoon sweltered at 44.2C degrees. This was the official figures from Aemet in what, in general terms, has so far been the hottest day of the year in the province.

In Coín, the temperature reached 42.5 degrees. Just behind were Alpandeire (41.3C), Estepona (40.3) and Cortes de la Frontera (40). Five weather stations therefore exceeded the psychological barrier.

Very close to 40 were Malaga Airport (39.4 degrees), Malaga Consul (39), Torremolinos (38.6), Benahavis (38.5), Fuente de Piedra (38.3), Antequera (38), and Ronda (37.2).

Local residents and visitors breathed a slight sigh of relief with temperatures of 35.7C in Vélez-Málaga, Rincón de la Victoria (34.8), Nerja (34.1), Algarrobo (34), and Marbella (33 degrees in the port) .