Spanish citizens are now suffering from heat exhaustion as temperatures rose to 42C (107F), the highest ever in May, due to warmer air from Africa.
The country has been impacted by a mass of dry, hot air from North Africa that is causing temperatures to rise up to 15 degrees. Some areas have seen mercury as high as 40C (104F).
In the coming days high temperatures will continue to move northeast, and little relief is expected after Sunday.
Spain’s meteorological agency Aemet predicted ‘one of the hottest Mays in this country in recent years’.
The National Plan for Excess Temperatures was activated two weeks earlier than normal on Thursday because ‘the spring is beginning to come’.
Spokesperson Rubén del Campo said: ‘The last updates to the meteorological models confirm the extraordinary intensity of this heatwave.’
In the coming days, temperatures expected to reach northeastern regions with no relief forecast until Sunday
Temperatures have risen up to 15 degrees due to a mass of dry, hot air from North Africa. Some parts of the country saw temperatures reach 42C (107F), Friday
A man takes a picture of a thermometer displaying the ‘extraordinary’ temperature of 45C (113F) in Seville, Spain yesterday afternoon
Pictured: Eintracht Frankfurt fan enjoys the heat of Seville after celebrating their Europa League win
Aemet, Spain’s meteorological service, predicted that this would be one of the country’s hottest Mays. According to Aemet, it activated the national plan for excessive heat two weeks before normal because “the summer is just beginning.” Pictured: One man cools himself with water.
Pictured: Tourists capture images during an extraordinary heat episode in Ronda (Spain),
Pictured is a woman using a fan as cooling device while she walks through Seville. The heat from North Africa and the dry, hot air in Spain has caused temperatures to rise up to 15 degrees higher than average.
As the scorching heat continues in Spain, two women can be seen sitting beside a water feature at Seville.
Saharan hot, dry and northerly blows have caused temperatures to spike up as high as 107F (42C).
Temperatures are expected to break the 100F (40C) barrier in several locations in the southern region of Andalucía today, and on the east coast around the Ebro valley – ‘something unheard of in that area in May’.
He stated that the heatwave could have been the worst for Spain in May, with the highest and lowest temperatures.
According to Friday’s State Meteorological Agency, four areas were placed on heat alert. Castilla La Mancha, Extremadura, and Madrid had been placed under yellow alert. This meant they were at high risk. The orange alert was for the southern region in Andalusia, which means there is a substantial risk from the extreme heat. The highest alert that indicates an extreme risk is a red alert.
Del Campo described the May heat in Spain as part of an overall pattern, which has led to summer arriving in Spain almost one month earlier in Spain than in the 1980s. He wasn’t ambiguous about its cause.
What’s the cause of all of it? Del Campo asked. “Climate Change, evidently anthropogenic,” Del Campo said.
The hottest days will be Friday and Saturday in general. Sunday, however, will experience a drop in temperatures across much of the Peninsula’s western region. It could also be hotter in areas of Spain’s eastern coast and on the Balearic islands.
The summer plan normally activates between June and September. However, the time for temperature ‘in 30s’ (86F+) arrived 20 to 40 days before the normal schedule.
Spain has seen its warmest late spring in 20 years. Pictured: Tourists, many from the UK, keep cool on the city beach in Las Palmas in Gran Canaria
As the temperatures rise, tourists dive in the sea of turquoise water at Sea Salines beach.
Aemet attributed the origin of the extreme heat wave to a wall made up of warm and dry air that was rising from Africa. Pictured: Tourists enjoy Playa es Bol Nou beach on April 29
Spain recorded its highest ever temperature only last year, when the Andalucían town of Montoro near Cordoba hit 117F (47C) on August 15.
Del Campo warned people about the risk of forestfires from heat that would spread to the south, middle and north east of the country. calima Dust cloud
He stated that this would be an unusual episode, and high temperatures could pose a risk to many parts of the country.
Another thing you should be alert to is dust in your air. This could cause calimas to form in the southern and western parts of the peninsula.
The concentration of dust in air may rise on Friday and Saturday as more air from north Africa carries the Sahara dust. This will result in a decrease in the air quality.
The Spanish government has warned that people in affected areas that vulnerable people such as children, pregnant women, and older and chronically ill people will be at extra risk.
They advise keeping hydrated and wearing light clothing.
On Thursday, temperatures in Toledo (central Spain) reached 37C (99F) during the afternoon. A man lies down under the scorching sun.
Del Campo believes climate change can cause extreme temperature swings.
He said, “What’s happening perfectly fits with a planet that’s hotter.”
France’s pre-summer heat wave is breaking records as it approaches its 38th consecutive day with abnormally high temperatures.
Some areas in the south already have temperatures exceeding 90F (33C), and models project that the temperature will rise to 100F (38C) over the weekend. This is a remarkable 17C higher than the average year.
A little farther north, the UK will be also affected by the dust cloud and heatwave.