A powerful heat dome is set to grip much of Spain from Thursday, sending temperatures soaring above 42C in Andalucia.
The phenomenon, caused by a strong high-pressure ridge settling over the Iberian Peninsula, will trap hot air, creating a giant ‘heat bubble’ that prevents cooler air from moving in.
Temperatures are expected to climb sharply from Thursday and continue rising into the weekend.
Orange alerts across Andalucia
State weather agency Aemet has issued orange weather warnings for Thursday across large parts of Andalucia.
The orange warnings affect much of Sevilla province, Cordoba, Jaen and Huelva, including its coast, with highs of over 40C – and more than 42C in some local areas.
Yellow warnings are also in force for in Cadiz province, with highs of up to 39C – alongside alerts for winds of up to 70km/hr.
What is a heat dome?
According to weather experts at Meteored, the intense heat is being driven by a powerful anticyclonic ridge stretching northwards from the Sahara.
Its shape allows it to act like a dome over the Peninsula, trapping hot air underneath and preventing it from dispersing.
As the air remains compressed beneath the high-pressure system, it continues to heat up, causing temperatures to rise day after day.
Even hotter by the weekend
Thursday will see temperatures reach 41C in cities such as Sevilla and Cordoba, while much of central and southern Spain climbs well into the high 30s.
The heat is expected to intensify further on Friday, when temperatures above 36C will become widespread across mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands.
By the weekend, forecasters expect many areas to exceed 40C, with the Guadalquivir Valley, Extremadura, Toledo, Ciudad Real, parts of Madrid, the Ebro Valley and inland Catalonia among the hottest regions.
Some parts of Jaen, Cordoba, Caceres and Badajoz could see temperatures climb to 42C or even 43C by Sunday, which is currently forecast to be the hottest day of the episode.
Night-time temperatures are also expected to remain exceptionally high, with minimums of 22C to 24C forecast across much of southern and central Spain and the Mediterranean coast, offering little relief after sunset.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
