Spain's hottest 'little summer' of San Martín for at least 70 years set to break temperature records until Sunday

This 'veranillo' (little summer) of San Martín in Spain in 2023 - the "hottest since 1950", with "unusually high" temperatures for the time of year - could continue to break temperature records until this coming weekend, the country's state weather agency Agency (Aemet) has forecast. However, this scenario could take a turn from next week, when the thermometers are expected to plummet and return to their normal values, according to the Met Office.

Aemet spokesperson Rubén del Campo confirmed that November 11, 12, 13 and 14 were the warmest days for these dates in mainland Spain as a whole since at least 1950 and predicts that some more records will be broken until the weekend, especially on Saturday and Sunday when a new rise in the temperature is expected. The mercury could be between 5 and 10C higher than normal for the season in large parts of the country.

For this Friday (17 November) and the weekend, Aemet forecasts that the weather will be anticyclonic, with fog banks in many inland areas and on the coast during the early hours of the day. Temperatures will drop today in the northeast but will rise in the rest of the country.

Del Campo insists that this Saturday and Sunday will be "very warm". In Andalucía, Valencia, Murcia and the surrounding areas, temperatures will be above 25C.

From Monday, the spokesperson expects a change in the atmospheric situation between the Atlantic high pressure and low pressure centred in the Mediterranean, which will lead to the arrival of cold air. Specifically, Aemet expects there to be a corridor of northerly winds that will cause a "notable" drop in temperatures on Monday and Tuesday until normal temperatures for the season return.

Although the weather may become "colder than normal", no rain is forecast except in the far north and the Balearic Islands.