An unprecedented red alert, the highest meteorological warning, has been issued by the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) for normally cooler northern regions of Spain as the country braces for its first major summer heatwave. Residents and visitors in Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa are urged to take 'extreme precautions' this weekend, with temperatures expected to soar well above 40°C.
The alert, effective from 1 p.m. on both Sunday and Monday until 9 p.m. each evening, warns of an 'extraordinary danger to life'. This urgent notice comes as a volatile plume of scorching Saharan air makes its way north, impacting inland areas and trapping severe humidity along the coasts.
Conditions are predicted to worsen next week, with predictive models suggesting localized temperatures could reach an extreme peak of 45°C. For context, Spain's highest recorded temperature was 47.6°C in La Rambla, Cordoba, during the summer of 2021.
By Saturday afternoon, large swathes of the Iberian peninsula will be under alert for extreme heat. Temperatures could hit 40°C across inland Andalucia, with orange heat warnings covering Cordoba, Morena y Condado, and Valle del Guadalquivir de Jaen. Lower-level yellow warnings are also active in Sevilla, Cuenca del Gentil, and Almeria, as well as across Extremadura, Castilla-la Mancha, Aragon, and inland Catalunya.
Elsewhere, a sudden influx of high pressure is set to destabilize conditions in the north, with warnings in place for sudden bursts of heavy rainfall and severe thunderstorms. Some areas of the Basque Country could experience up to 30mm of rainfall in just one hour.
On Sunday, virtually the entirety of mainland Spain will be under some form of alert for extreme heat. The hottest temperatures are expected in inland areas, with parts of Andalucia and Extremadura bracing for highs as lofty as 42°C. The heatwave is forecast to persist until at least Thursday.
Weather officials are advising people to avoid strenuous outdoor activity during the hottest parts of the day and to take extra care if they are vulnerable. The combination of extreme heat and high winds is expected to significantly increase the risk of wildfires across large areas of Spain.
