People in southern Spain and Portugal should brace themselves for intensifying heat over the next few days, with temperatures in some places forecast to reach the high 40s.
While the usual maximum temperature is in the high 30s, depending on the region, this week it could climb between five to 10 degrees higher than that, the UK’s Met Office has warned. Temperatures will start returning to normal towards the end of the week.
“For most people we are probably looking at 45°C or so across the region, but you generally get some places that will tip out higher than the broad figures,” Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge told i.
The high temperatures are likely to affect tourists heading to Spain for the summer holiday this week. The country is one of the most popular destinations for British tourists, with about 17 million people visiting the country from the UK in 2023. Residents will also have to cope with the higher-than-normal temperatures, with public transport, for instance, becoming more uncomfortable.
The heatwave is due to hot air from Africa having moved northwards, as well as an area of high pressure having formed over the Iberian Peninsula, said Mr Madge. “The two factors are working in tandem.”
A high pressure system causes air from high in the atmosphere to sink downwards, which causes it to be compressed, leading to the air warming.
While heatwaves are not uncommon in Spain, they are happening more often globally because of climate change, said Professor Liz Bentley, chief executive of the Royal Meteorological Society. Although the average global temperature has only risen by a little over 1°C since the late 19th century, extreme weather events are becoming more common.
“High pressure situations in the summer that lead to heatwave events are becoming more frequent,” said Professor Bentley. “So we’re seeing more heatwave events than we used to do in the past. When they happen, they tend to be more intense, so the temperatures are record breaking, and they’re more persistent as well.”
The forthcoming Iberian heatwave has been forecast for southern parts of mainland Spain and Portugal, the Canary Islands, and northern areas of Morocco. “We have got a region of high pressure that’s building across the region and that’s allowing the heat to build up over the coming days,” said Mr Madge. “You tend to get very settled conditions.
“The drying effect on soil can have a major impact. Because you have got clear conditions, that allows the sunshine to reach the ground. You have already lost a lot of the moisture in the soil so you haven’t got evaporation. That allows the heating to build even further.”
NHS advice for those in the middle of a heatwave is to avoid going in the sun between 11am and 3pm and refrain from exercise, as well as drinking plenty of cool liquids.
If people are inside, they should close windows and curtains to keep the heat out. They could also consider turning off electrical equipment and some lights, which can warm the air.
In people who become overheated, blood vessels widen. This leads to lower blood pressure and extra strain on the heart. There have been over 2,000 deaths a year in the over-65s attributed to heatwaves during recent hot UK summers, such as in 2023.
As well as high daytime temperatures in the Iberian heatwave, there will be so-called tropical nights, when the temperature stays above 20°C. “That will make it quite uncomfortable for a lot of people,” said Mr Madge.
Several areas of southern Europe have been experiencing unusually hot weather and heatwaves this summer, including Spain, Italy, Turkey, Cyprus and Greece, the British Red Cross has said. “We would advise people to plan ahead for the effects of heat on their trip, making sure they know how to recognise the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat-stroke,” said William Spencer.