Spain's anticipated weather conditions for the weekend of August 8th: The mercury is refusing to drop and scorching hot temperatures are set to persist
Spain Braces for Intense Heat Wave with Temperatures Soaring Up to 45°C
Spain is currently experiencing a prolonged heat wave, with many areas expected to reach extreme temperatures of 40°C to 45°C by the end of the week. The southern regions, such as Andalusia and Extremadura, could potentially see temperatures rise as high as 45°C.
According to forecasts, inland temperatures will remain high, reaching 36°C to 38°C on August 13-14, and rising again towards 40°C to 42°C in the southwest, Ebro valley, and northeast by the weekend. The Cantabrian area may see a brief cooldown on Saturday but temperatures will rise again on Sunday.
The heat wave is linked to a warm, dry air mass originating from Africa, causing steady increases and atmospheric stability that intensifies surface heating. This pattern has also led to periods of tropical nights—warm nights which further strain populations and increase health risks.
Alert Levels
The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has issued special warnings and sustained heat alerts in the southern half and northeastern quadrant of Spain, with many areas on orange or red alert for extreme heat. The Canary Islands are also affected. An orange alert has been activated in Gran Canaria for extreme temperatures above 40 degrees on Saturday.
Impact on Vulnerable People
The extreme heat poses serious health risks, especially to vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children, and those with preexisting health conditions. A child died of heatstroke in Italy during this heatwave, underscoring the danger. In Spain, fatal incidents related to the heat and firefighting efforts have been reported, including a man dying while fighting fires in Castile and Leon and a fatal accident involving a soldier combating fires.
Forest Fires
The high temperatures combined with dry conditions have led to numerous wildfires, causing evacuations and fatalities in Spain and across southern Europe. Spanish fire and rescue services are working intensively to control dozens of wildfires since early August. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has warned of "extreme risk" of forest fires and urged caution.
Weather Conditions
A situation of generalized stability will be maintained in the country, with mostly clear or cloudless skies, as well as morning intervals of low clouds in areas of northwestern Spain and Ceuta and Melilla, with possible drizzle in northern Galicia, and probable morning mists and fog banks that could be more persistent in Rías Baixas. Easterly winds with intervals of strong will be present in the Canary Islands, moderate northeast winds in the south of the Balearic Islands and on the coasts of the northwest and southeast of the peninsula, and generally weak winds in the rest. The north component will predominate in Galicia and Cantabria, the east in the Mediterranean and northeast of the peninsula, and the south in the rest.
Temperature Changes
Maximum temperatures in general will remain high, with some decreases in interiors of the extreme northwest of the peninsula and increases in interiors of Catalonia and the Gulf of Cadiz. They will remain above 35 degrees in most of the Peninsula and the Canary Islands, as well as in points of the Balearic Islands, exceeding 40 in broad areas of the south half of the Atlantic slope. Maximum temperatures will rise in the northern half of the Mediterranean and in western Andalusia, as well as notably in northern Galicia, Cantabria, and the upper Ebro on Sunday. Light increases in minimums, more pronounced in the Canary Islands and the extreme southwestern Peninsula on Sunday, are also expected.
In summary, Spain is experiencing a prolonged and intense heat wave with widespread alerts for extreme temperatures and severe impacts on public health and wildfire risk, especially in southern and interior regions. The combination of rising temperatures, the duration of the event, and the dry weather pattern amplify these risks significantly.
The average temperature in Spain is expected to rise significantly due to the ongoing heat wave, with many regions forecasted to surpass 40°C. The National Weather Forecasting system has issued special warnings and alerts for extreme heat in various areas, including the southern half and northeastern quadrant of the country, the Canary Islands, and even gran Canaria with temperatures potentially exceeding 40 degrees on Saturday.
