Spain is bracing for another round of extreme weather with temperatures forecast to soar as high as 41C this week. WXCharts weather maps have turned dark red as a scorching heatwave sweeps through the country on July 28.
Around 22 areas across the country popular with British holidaymakers have been put under a "significant danger" category by AEMET, Spain's meteorological agency. Temperatures are expected to rise steadily from Tuesday onwards, as a persistent area of high pressure brings increasingly hot conditions across much of Spain.
Heat dome developing
Forecasts indicate that daytime temperatures will surpass 40C in the Guadalquivir, Guadiana, and Ebro river valleys, with these extreme levels likely to persist for several days. Meteorologists are warning that a powerful "heat dome" is likely to form over the Iberian Peninsula on Tuesday. A heat dome occurs when a strong high-pressure system develops and effectively traps hot air beneath it, preventing cooler air from entering and allowing temperatures to rise steadily over several days.
As the high-pressure system strengthens, heat builds up near the surface, resulting in exceptionally hot and dry conditions across large areas. According to experts, the developing heat dome could potentially trigger Spain's fourth heatwave of the summer, although it remains too early to determine whether temperatures and duration will meet the official criteria required for a heatwave declaration.
Wildfire risks intensify
The return of extreme temperatures is expected to intensify wildfire risks across Spain, just days after the country experienced one of its most severe wildfire emergencies in recent years. Nearly 100,000 people have been affected by the crisis, which has been driven by a series of large and fast-moving fires.
The most significant blaze, near Madrid in the province of Ávila, has burned through an estimated 50,000 hectares, making it the largest wildfire ever recorded in the country. Another major fire in the southwestern part of the Madrid region has consumed approximately 27,000 hectares, further stretching emergency response efforts and raising concerns that the renewed heat could worsen conditions and fuel additional outbreaks.
Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said that Monday and Tuesday were "absolutely crucial days" to control the country's wildfires. On Monday, the interior ministry said more than 60,000 had been evacuated in the Madrid, Ávila, and Toledo regions. The weather service says high temperatures are forecast to last until "at least" Sunday.
