Spain's coastline is under a rare red alert for extreme heat, with temperatures forecast to reach 44C in some areas, affecting popular holiday destinations. The warning, issued by Spain's national weather agency Aemet, comes as Brits are warned of baking conditions along the coast.
Red alert zones and temperatures
The red alert stretches from the northern coast of Alicante province to the northern coastline of Valencia, where temperatures could reach 42-44C. The warning is in force from 1pm to 9pm. Elsewhere, yellow warnings are in place in Ibiza and Majorca, where temperatures could hit 37C.
Large parts of the country have been under yellow and amber warnings today, with amber alerts concentrated in the northeast, where highs of up to 42C are forecast, and along the southeast coast, including Alicante and Benidorm. Aemet says these locations could see highs of 40C.
Forecast for Wednesday
Forecasting for Wednesday, Aemet said: "Maximum temperatures will decrease across the board, except in the Levante region, Catalonia, Aragon, and the Balearic Islands, where they will rise, with potentially significant increases along the Valencian coast."
"Temperatures will exceed 36 degrees Celsius in parts of central Spain, the Ebro Valley, and low-lying areas of the northeast, the Balearic Islands, the southeast, and the Valencian Community, potentially surpassing 40 degrees Celsius in the lower Ebro Valley and inland areas of the provinces of Valencia, Alicante, and Murcia."
Forecasters added: "Minimum temperatures will decrease in Catalonia and the southwest quadrant, and increase elsewhere. Tropical nights will continue, with temperatures not dropping below 20 degrees Celsius, along the Mediterranean coast. In the Canary Islands, minimum temperatures will rise slightly."
Cooler outlook for Thursday
Western Spain will see cooler temperatures on Wednesday compared to Tuesday, dropping from the high 30s to the low 30s. Some thunderstorms are forecast in northern Spain as a cold air mass brings more unstable conditions.
Looking ahead to Thursday, temperatures should be cooler with no red alerts in force, and only one amber warning in place in northern Majorca. A few yellow warnings remain along Spain's eastern coast, with highs of 36C expected in places like Alicante, Valencia, and Tarragona.
