Seven Spanish regions on alert for extreme heat, storms and 90 km/h winds on Wednesday

Widespread heat warnings

Seven autonomous communities will be under weather warnings on Wednesday as a mass of hot air keeps temperatures well above 35°C across large parts of the country. The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has activated an orange alert (significant risk) for Gran Canaria and La Gomera, where thermometers could reach 37°C. Yellow heat warnings are also in place for Malaga, Zaragoza, Mallorca, Albacete, Girona, La Palma, El Hierro and Tenerife. In the Valencia region, the warnings become more granular: 38°C on the southern coast of Alicante and in the interior south of Valencia, 37°C in the interior north of Valencia, and 36°C on the Valencia coast, all coinciding with the hours of strongest sunshine. The interior of Mallorca could hit 36°C. Maximum temperatures will rise on the Atlantic slope and in north-eastern Catalonia, while falling slightly in other Mediterranean areas, the Cantabrian coast, the upper Ebro and the Canary Islands. Even so, most of the southern and eastern halves of the peninsula, the Balearics and the Canaries will stay above 35°C. Minimum temperatures will barely change, prolonging tropical nights across wide areas.

Afternoon storms in the northeast

Although stability will dominate most of the country, the afternoon will bring a sharp change in the eastern third of the peninsula and in Mallorca. Convective cloud will build over interior areas, the mountains of the centre and north, and the Balearic island, raising the probability of showers and thunderstorms. The most active cells are expected in the southern Iberian range and the eastern Pyrenees, where downpours could be locally strong and accompanied by hail and very strong wind gusts. Teruel and Castellón are under yellow warnings for rain and storms; in the interior north of Castellón, accumulations could reach 20 litres per square metre in one hour. Aemet also warns that instability may intensify on Thursday afternoon across much of the north-east, and that strong storms with hail could develop in the western Pyrenees during the early hours.

Wind and rough seas in the Canaries

The Canary Islands will contend with more than heat. Aemet has issued yellow warnings for wind across all the islands, with gusts of up to 90 km/h expected on Gran Canaria, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro, Tenerife and Lanzarote. Coastal warnings for rough seas are also active on Gran Canaria, La Gomera, La Palma, El Hierro and Tenerife. The combination of high temperatures, strong winds and heavy swell will keep emergency services on alert throughout the archipelago.

Regional picture

Northern Galicia and the Cantabrian strip will be the exception to the general stability, with cloudy or overcast skies and light, scattered precipitation. Early in the day, low cloud will also affect other points in the north, the Mediterranean coast and the lower Ebro, though it will tend to clear as the morning progresses. Probable morning fog banks are forecast for Galicia, the Cantabrian area and the eastern facade of the peninsula. In the Canaries, intervals of low cloud will linger on the northern slopes of the mountainous islands, while the rest of the archipelago will see mostly clear or slightly cloudy skies. The heat, storms, wind and waves will keep seven autonomous communities on alert throughout Wednesday, with the most intense phase of the storm activity concentrated in the afternoon and early evening.