Intense temperatures climbing up to 38C in parts of Spain are set to sizzle pasty Brits over the next week, according to red weather maps from WXCharts and The Met Office forecast
Brits jetting off to sunny Spain have been urged to brace for sizzling temperatures as weather maps suddenly turn red from a North African heatwave.
Following a ‘very wet and cool’ Spring, the holiday hotspot is slated to rapidly warm up from Friday, May 23 to Tuesday, June 3 – according to new data from WXCharts. The weather maps show much of the mainland sweltering in mid-30s temperatures, with areas in the south-east climbing to 36C.
The maps depict 34C temps for the majority of central Spain, while the country’s north seems to be escaping the intense heat – with temperatures dipping to a balmy 23C. The Balearics also seem to have dodged the scorching spell, with forecasted temperatures dropping just below 30C during the same time period.
READ MORE: Major EU airline chaos as 1,400 flights suddenly axed with UK airports included
Jim Dale, a climate commentator and founder of British Weather Services, told the Mirror Spain is ready to ‘hog up’ as turning tides will suck in air from the desert. “Late May and June is usually the time that Spain and Portugal feel the real heat, and as we move towards the month’s end – it’s certainly about to unfold in spades,” he added.
“The hotspots around Faro, Seville, and Cordoba could well hit 40C before the month is out, as super hot air emanates from North Africa, possible breaking records.” The expert warned that heat will ‘ebb and flow’ through the first two weeks of June, adding: “This is just the start of it, and certainly not the end. With global warming at all-time record levels, the only way is up – and it won’t be fun.”
The Met office paints a cooler forecast for certain parts of Mainland Spain, including Madrid. Here, temperatures will only reach 33C by Thursday, May 29. Cloudy conditions are also predicted to hit Barcelona in the nighttime, bringing maximum temperatures down to a much more bearable 24C.
However, in Seville, charts show the heat steadily climb from 30C on Saturday, May 24 to a staggering 38C by Thursday, May 29 – exceeding summer maximum average temperatures by 2C. Similarly, temperatures in Zaragoza in the northeast will jump to 35C on Thursday, May 29.
The Met Office also warns that most areas of Spain will be hit with a ‘Very High’ UV index, which is usually represented as 8-10. Under these circumstances, Brits are urged to avoid being outside during the sun’s strongest hours (typically 11am to 3pm) while wearing suncream and covering your skin with clothes and a hat is ‘essential’.
Do you have a story to share? Email us at [email protected] for a chance to be featured.