Spain swelters as heatwave rolls in

As Madrid saw the mercury rise to 49ºC today, many other parts of Spain are bracing themselves for a scorching week.

Even by Spain’s lofty standards, this week’s heatwave is set to be a scorcher, with the country’s weather agency AEMET placing 43 of Spain’s 50 provinces on alert for soaring temperatures…

A sweep of high pressure is moving in from the Sahara Desert, pushing the mercury past 44ºC in most places, with journalists in Madrid tweeting pictures of 49ºC after noon on Monday.

Seville, which is the hottest part of Spain and one of the hottest places on the planet, is expected to post temperatures above 50ºC at some point this week, getting close to its all-time record of 52ºC.

Many other parts of Andalucía are also expected to see the highest temperatures, with the Costa del Sol easily reaching 40ºC during the first part of the week. Normal temperatures for this time of the year in the region tend to hover somewhere between 32-35ºC. By the weekend, temperatures should have eased somewhat to around 36ºc.

“These are not usual meteorological phenomena, of an exceptional intensity and with a very high level of risk for the population,” said a spokesperson for Spain’s national weather office.

Most parts of Europe are also set to swelter in above-average temperatures this week, with London expected to see the mercury hit 35ºC on Wednesday and Berlin, Germany, set for 37ºC at the weekend. In France, temperatures are set to reach the highest they have for more than a decade, and southern Italians have been told to prepare for hot winds blowing in from North Africa.

Fortunately for Brits in Spain, the country is far better equipped to deal with bouts of extreme heat than many other nations in Europe. Houses are built to keep cool during the summer, and many properties will have use of a private or shared swimming pool for cooling off.

The Costa del Sol also enjoys the benefit of having the Mediterranean right on its doorstep, enticing sun-beaten bathers in for a refreshing dip when the heat becomes too much.

So if you’re in Spain this week and are feeling the heat, bear a thought for those Londoners, Berliners and Parisians who do not have such luxuries…