August has ended and meteorological autumn has begun, bringing a sharp shift in temperatures across Andalucia.
Nowhere has this been more felt than in the province of Jaen, where the long summer heatwaves have given way to cooler days and chilly nights.
On September 1, no municipality in the province recorded an average above 25C, although daytime highs still brushed 30C in several towns.
Guarroman, Chiclana de Segura, Villatorres, Villacarrillo, Santo Tome, Lopera, Puente de la Sierra in Jaen, Begíjar and Arjonilla all reported highs just under that mark, while Bailen and Andujar reached exactly 30C.
The cooler averages were felt most strongly in the Sierra Segura. In Pozo Romero, Siles, the average was 13.3C, while stations in Santiago-Pontones recorded between 13.5C and 15.6C. Other mountain areas such as Hornos, Valdepeñas de Jaen and Los Villares also saw averages close to 15C.
Sub-zero nights
It was overnight, however, that the biggest drop was recorded. Frost crept into the highlands of the Sierra Segura, with Pozo Romero plunging to –6.2C, the coldest point in the province.
Cañada Hermosa in Santiago-Pontones followed with –3C, and La Matea in the same area dropped to 3.6C.
In the Sierra Sur, Mures in Alcala la Real registered 4.7C, while Valdepeñas de Jaen, Noalejo and Los Villares stayed just above 9C.
Elsewhere, in Sierra Morena, Castellar, Chiclana de Segura, Guarroman and Arquillos saw lows ranging from 10C to 12C.
In Sierra Magina, Arbuniel dipped to 8.2C and Campillo de Arenas to 7.9C. The Loma and Las Villas region saw Villacarrillo fall to 7.1C, while Villanueva del Arzobispo and Ibros held near 10C.
Even the Guadalquivir Valley recorded crisp readings, with Sabiote, Peal de Becerro and Jaen city itself all dropping to single digits.
Jaen’s dramatic weather
Jaen has long been known for dramatic winter extremes. Back in January, Pozo Romero registered –14.9C, the coldest temperature in all of Andalucia, followed closely by Cañada Hermosa at –11.3C.
Such freezing conditions preserve the natural ice reserves that later feed the rivers flowing from the Sierras of Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
