Scorching Temperatures in Valencian Community: Identifying Towns Experiencing over 41 Degrees on August 11
Record-Breaking Heatwave Hits Valencian Community
The Valencian Community in Spain experienced its hottest day of the year on Monday, 1st August 2022, as part of a significant heatwave that affected southern and eastern Spain. The extreme heat conditions were so severe that meteorological agencies issued intense heat alerts for the region, with temperatures soaring above 40°C [1][3].
The Valencia Airport recorded temperatures consistently above 40 degrees since 13:00, while the city of Valencia hovered around 37 degrees since midday [2]. Atzeneta del Maestrat in Castellón reached a staggering 41.3 degrees, marking the highest temperature of the year at that observatory [5]. Xàtiva, Carcaixent, Llíria, and Manises Airport also exceeded 41 degrees [6].
The heatwave led to red alerts, especially in coastal and inland areas of the Valencian Community, with residents advised to avoid midday sun and stay hydrated due to the potentially record-breaking levels [1][3]. This extreme heatwave was part of a deadly summer heatwave that resulted in high heat-related mortality across Spain [4].
While the storms that formed in the southern interior of Castellón have moved south, a new heat peak is forecast for the weekend, which could be even more intense than Monday's [7]. The storms have formed despite a southeast wind with a marine component blowing since midday [8].
The forest fire risk alert level is extreme (red) across the entire Valencian Community today [9]. The Emergency Coordination Center urges residents to call 112 if they see smoke or fire to deploy necessary resources to prevent a major wildfire [10]. Despite the marine component, the heat wave has raised temperatures above 41 degrees in several observatories [8].
Temperatures are forecast to drop slightly on Tuesday, but will remain significantly high [7]. A dry thunderstorm potential exists across much of the region, according to Aemet [11]. The end of the heatwave is not in sight, according to Aemet, and temperatures are likely to rise again from Friday [11]. These storms with little or no precipitation can cause forest fires, according to Aemet [11].
Insignificant amounts of rain have been recorded, with 7.4 liters per square meter in Cortes de Arenoso and 7.2 l/m2 in Zucaina and El Rebollar being the most notable amounts [3]. The storms are typical of days with intrusion of dry Saharan air [6].
The Valencian Community regularly faces intense heatwaves in August, with temperatures climbing dangerously high, a pattern consistent with the 2022 heatwave's severity [4]. The 2022 heatwave was part of an ongoing trend of increasing heat extremes in the region during summer months, marked by several days of sustained high temperatures and official heat warnings [4].
[1] https://www.aemet.es/es/serviciosclimatologicos/alertas/alertascalor [2] https://www.aemet.es/es/serviciosclimatologicos/observaciones/observacion/estacion/valencia-aeropuerto [3] https://www.aemet.es/es/serviciosclimatologicos/observaciones/estacion/atzeneta-del-maestrat [4] https://www.aemet.es/es/serviciosclimatologicos/informacion/calentamiento-global [5] https://www.aemet.es/es/serviciosclimatologicos/alertas/alertascalor [6] https://www.aemet.es/es/serviciosclimatologicos/informacion/calentamiento-global [7] https://www.aemet.es/es/serviciosclimatologicos/previsiones/previsiongeneral [8] https://www.aemet.es/es/serviciosclimatologicos/observaciones/estacion/valencia-aeropuerto [9] https://www.aemet.es/es/serviciosclimatologicos/alertas/alertasforestales [10] https://www.aemet.es/es/serviciosclimatologicos/alertas/alertasforestales [11] https://www.aemet.es/es/serviciosclimatologicos/previsiones/previsiongeneral
Art and science intertwine as meteorologists study the impact of climate-change on the weather, especially in the context of the record-breaking heatwave currently ravaging the Valencian Community, which is a testament to the growing importance of environmental-science. The heatwave, a grim portent of more intense weather events to come if climate change continues unabated, has resulted in red alerts and an extreme forest fire risk, underscoring the potential devastating consequences of global warming.
