Heat dome to bring 40C Saharan air to Spain this weekend
After a few days of relative relief from the heatwave that hit all of mainland Spain, the mercury will rise again from Thursday onwards as a so-called heat dome forms over much of the peninsula, trapping in Saharan air.
Starting on Thursday, daytime and night-time temperatures are expected to rise above 40C once again in Spain.
Despite this, a heatwave has not been declared by Spain’s national weather agency Aemet.
Spain’s coastal northern regions will be spared from this episode of scorching weather, and therefore Aemet’s geographical criteria for it to be considered una ola de calor (a heatwave) won’t be met.
READ ALSO: ¡Qué calor! 18 Spanish phrases to moan about the heat like a local
But that doesn't mean the heat won't be truly intense across much of the country.
The so-called heat dome will begin to form on Thursday, a meteorological phenomenon characterised by a dome-like effect over a specific area, in this case the Iberian Peninsula,
It prevents air circulation, and as a result the air heats up, making temperatures rise.
Meteorologist Jorge Olcina referred to the heat dome on Spanish radio station Cope as an "invasion of Saharan air" and "a mountain, a very warm body, falling on our heads...with air that barely moves".
Olcina added that these heat domes are becoming more frequent, intense, and long-lasting, which "makes them dangerous" in the current context of climate change.
Thermometers will reach 41 degrees Celsius on Thursday in places like Badajoz, Córdoba, and Seville. Madrid will experience 35C heat, and the Mediterranean coast will also exceed 32C.
READ ALSO: What Spain's different heat alerts mean and how to act in each case
Aemet has issued an orange alert for heat in Andalusia and Extremadura, and yellow alerts in Aragón, Castilla y León, Castilla-La Mancha, Catalonia, Extremadura, Galicia and Madrid.
But as we mentioned earlier, the worst is expected over the weekend.
On Friday, temperatures are expected to exceed 36C across much of the Peninsula and Balearic Islands. They will reach between 40 or 42C in and around Zaragoza, Logroño, Toledo, Mérida, Badajoz, Córdoba and Seville.
The mercury won’t drop below 24C along the Mediterranean, central Spain and the southern half of the country, leading to tropical nights that make it hard to sleep.
READ ALSO: Why this summer in Spain is expected to be even hotter than usual
Although the forecast isn't completely clear from Saturday onwards, weather agency Meteored points to more heat, with much of central and southern Spain reaching around 40C.
However, the hottest day of the week is expected to be Sunday, with temperatures of 40 to 42 degrees Celsius across the Guadalquivir Valley, Extremadura, Toledo, Ciudad Real, parts of Madrid, Aragón, La Rioja and inland Catalonia.
Temperatures could also reach 42C or even 43C in the provinces of Jaén, Córdoba, Cáceres, and Badajoz.
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