New heatwave set to hit Spain and raise temperatures

While we are still recovering from the high temperatures at the start of last week, Spain's state meteorological agency (Aemet) has issued a special weather warning in view of the forecast of a new heatwave that will raise the mercury above 40C from Monday 17th to Wednesday 19th July.

The reason: a large anticyclone at medium and high altitudes, located around Tunisia and the central Mediterranean, which will extend westwards, approaching the Iberian peninsula, and which, in addition, will likely be accompanied by high altitude haze.

This phenomenon will affect a large part of the Spanish mainland and the Balearic Islands, except for the north-western third. "Especially high tenperatures will be reached in central areas and the inland south of the mainland, northeastern low areas and in the inland areas of Mallorca during the first half of the week," according to the Aemet statement.

From Monday onwards, a southerly and south-easterly flow of air will introduce a very warm and dry mass over the mainland and the Balearic Islands, "with similar characteristics to the one that produced a heatwave at the beginning of last week", the agency explained.

Specifically, on Monday 17 July, the highest temperatures will be reached in the central areas and inland regions in the south of the peninsula, including Malaga and the Guadiana valley, where they will generally exceed 40C, as well as in the Guadalquivir valley, where they will exceed 42 degrees, without ruling out the possibility of temperatures reaching 44ºC locally. The mercury will also be high in the southern parts of the northern plateau and the inland areas of the north-eastern quadrant, exceeding 37-38ºC in many areas.

On Tuesday 18 July temperatures will rise in the eastern third of the Iberian peninsula, the upper Ebro and the Balearic Islands, while they will remain the same or fall slightly on the Atlantic side. Temperatures will continue to be very high in the central region and south of the mainland, exceeding 40C in many areas, even reaching 42 degrees in the Guadalquivir valley.

The day will be especially warm in the north-eastern quadrant and the Balearic Islands, and it is likely to exceed 40C in many areas, without ruling out 42 degrees in the Ebro valley, northeastern depressions, northern Catalonia and inland Mallorca. Temperatures will also be high on the northern plateau, where temperatures are likely to exceed 37C.

From Wednesday 19 July onwards, Aemet expects temperatures to drop from the northwest, although it forecasts that they will continue to be high in many areas of the southern and southeastern inland parts of the mainland, the Balearic Islands and, with greater uncertainty, the centre of the country.

Temperatures are likely to remain above 40C in large areas of central Spain and inland Majorca, as well as in the southeast third of the peninsula and the Guadalquivir valley, where temperatures could locally exceed 42C. In the northeastern low areas it is also likely to exceed 39-40C.

Minimum temperatures, meanwhile, will be very high during this new heatwave, especially on Tuesday and Wednesday, with nights that the state meteorological agency describes as "tropical", where temperatures will exceed 20C, and even 25 degrees locally, in the south-eastern half of the mainland and the Balearic Islands, and also affecting the Mediterranean coastal areas.

As of Thursday 20th, Aemet anticipates that the drop in temperatures will most likely extend to the whole country, bringing this new heatwave episode to an end, although it is likely that temperatures will still be high in the Guadalquivir valley on the day.