Andalucia is set to experience its first major blast of summer heat next week with highs of 38C predicted in parts of the region and no rain currently in sight.
According to state weather agency Aemet, thermometers will climb steadily throughout the week before peaking on Friday, when cities across the Guadalquivir valley are expected to swelter in temperatures more typical of mid-summer than May.
The heat build-up will begin gradually from Sunday. Sevilla is expected to reach 28C, while Cordoba will hit 27C. Malaga is forecast to see highs of 23C, with Cadiz cooler at 21C thanks to Atlantic winds.
By Tuesday, the shift towards summer-like conditions will become much more noticeable. Sevilla is forecast to hit 30C, Cordoba 29C and Malaga 28C.
The biggest jump will arrive from Wednesday onwards. Sevilla is expected to surge to 35C, while Cordoba reaches 33C and Jaen climbs to 31C. Granada and Huelva are both forecast to hit 30C.
Temperatures will continue climbing into the end of the week. On Thursday, Sevilla could see 37C, with Cordoba at 35C and Granada at 32C.
Friday is currently expected to be the hottest day of the spell, with Sevilla forecast to reach a scorching 38C in the shade. Cordoba and Jaen could both see 35C, while Granada and Huelva are expected to hit 33C.
Even coastal provinces are set for unusually warm conditions for May, with Malaga forecast to reach 29C by Friday and Almeria 30C.
Night-time temperatures will also rise significantly towards the end of the week. Minimums in cities such as Sevilla, Cadiz and Almeria are forecast to remain above 20C overnight, creating the first tropical nights of the season in some areas.
Aemet says the warm spell will be driven by stable anticyclonic conditions across southern Spain, bringing dry weather, clear skies and virtually no chance of rain across Andalucia between May 18 and 24.
The weather agency also warned that the heat will not be limited to the south.
Across Spain, temperatures are expected to swing dramatically from unusually cold conditions this weekend – with some inland areas currently sitting between 5C and 10C below average for the time of year – to values well above seasonal norms by midweek.
Aemet spokesperson Ruben del Campo said many parts of Spain could end up between 5C and 10C warmer than usual for late May as the warm air mass settles over the peninsula.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
