Spain is bracing for an intense wave of heat as temperatures are set to soar beyond 40 degrees Celsius in multiple regions, persisting into the weekend. The national weather agency has issued extended orange heat warnings through Friday, predicting temperatures to hit 42 degrees Celsius in Madrid and parts of the southern regions. Specifically, the inland areas of Andalusia are anticipated to endure the most extreme heat, with temperatures climbing to between 42 and 43 degrees Celsius.
Among the hardest-hit areas, Córdoba is expected to experience temperatures reaching approximately 43 degrees Celsius on Thursday, while Friday will see temperatures hovering close to 40 degrees Celsius. The majority of the province is under a yellow heat warning, with these unusually high temperatures projected to linger into the early part of next week. Similarly, the Campiña Sevillana area in Sevilla is under an orange alert, with forecasts indicating afternoon and evening temperatures of around 41 degrees Celsius.
The scorching conditions are set to spread across Spain, with temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius or higher anticipated in locations such as Badajoz, Cáceres, Córdoba, Sevilla, Granada, Jaén, Zaragoza, Lleida, Logroño, and Toledo. Much of mainland Spain is likely to see temperatures exceed 34 degrees Celsius, while Mallorca might experience highs surpassing 35 degrees Celsius. Warm nights are expected across parts of southern Spain, the Mediterranean coast, the Balearic Islands, and the Canary Islands, where minimum temperatures could reach around 25 degrees Celsius.
This heatwave is being fueled by a very warm air mass over mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands, significantly raising the risk of wildfires, with some areas facing potentially extreme fire danger. Although there might be a gradual decrease in temperatures in some regions after Friday, the intense heat is forecasted to persist throughout the weekend. Northern coastal areas, however, are expected to remain relatively cooler, with temperatures generally in the mid-20s.