Spain faces unseasonal September heat as temperatures approach 40 degrees in southern regions
A strong anticyclone will push temperatures across Spain up to 10 degrees above seasonal norms, bringing maximums near 40 degrees Celsius to Andalusia and Extremadura while coastal warnings take effect in Cádiz.
Return of unseasonal heat
Spain will experience an unseasonal surge in temperatures during mid-September, bringing summer conditions back to wide swaths of the country. An established anticyclone will stabilize weather patterns across the Iberian Peninsula and the Canary Islands, driving daytime maximums 5 to 10 degrees Celsius above seasonal averages from Sunday, 13 September. The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) projects dry, mostly sunny conditions for the weekend and the following week, interrupting the recent cooler spell.
The headline we can give for these coming days is that summer is returning.
Meteorologists note that the brief respite of lower temperatures and scattered rain earlier in the month will not persist. Antena 3 weather presenter Roberto Brasero stated that the cooler conditions were temporary before high pressure resumed control.
This drop in temperatures that we had, the cool autumn wind or the storms, were only an illusion of autumn, because temperatures are rising again and the heat has not said its last word.
Forecasted maximums by city and valley
Thermometers will exceed 34 degrees Celsius across southern, central, and northeastern regions through the weekend and the first half of the following week. Southern valleys in Andalusia and Extremadura will register the highest values, with cities such as Seville, Córdoba, and Badajoz forecasted to reach 38 degrees Celsius, while Córdoba may approach 40 degrees Celsius. In Galicia, temperatures in the Miño river basin will climb past 35 degrees Celsius, while interior areas will see between 34 and 36 degrees Celsius.
- Badajoz
- 38 °C
- Córdoba
- 38 °C
- Seville
- 38 °C
- Zaragoza
- 38 °C
- Lleida
- 38 °C
- Pamplona
- 35 °C
- Huesca
- 35 °C
- Bilbao
- 34 °C
The warmth will extend into northern and northeastern territories at the start of the week. Bilbao will reach up to 34 degrees Celsius on Monday, 14 September, before conditions shift. On Tuesday, 15 September, daytime maximums will rise to 35 degrees Celsius in Pamplona and Huesca, and between 37 and 38 degrees Celsius in Zaragoza and Lleida. Southern depressions and the Tajo and Guadalquivir valleys will maintain values between 36 and 38 degrees Celsius.
Coastal conditions, front approach, and long-range outlook
While high pressure dominates inland weather, AEMET has issued yellow warnings for the coast of Cádiz and the Strait of Gibraltar due to strong easterly levante winds and adverse sea conditions. Moderate easterly and northeasterly winds will also affect the Cantabrian coast, northern Galicia, and the Alborán Sea, while winds in the Balearic Islands will ease over the weekend. Overnight conditions will remain warm, with tropical nights above 20 degrees Celsius expected along the southern Mediterranean coast, the lower Guadalquivir basin, the Balearic Islands, and the Canary Islands.
- Temperatures rise across Spain as coastal wind alerts activate in Cádiz
- Thermometers rise 5 to 10 degrees above seasonal averages across multiple regions
- Bilbao reaches up to 34 degrees Celsius under continuing high pressure
- A weak front brings light rain to Galicia and Cantabria while inland highs peak
- Northern temperatures drop while heat persists across southern Spain and the Canaries
On Tuesday, 15 September, a weak atmospheric front will reach the far north, introducing light rain and lower temperatures across Galicia and the Cantabrian coast. By Wednesday, 16 September, temperatures will drop further across northern Spain, although warm conditions will persist in the south and parts of the Canary Islands, where maximums will hover around 36 degrees Celsius. Long-range modeling by AEMET indicates that above-average temperatures will likely continue through the week of 21 to 27 September, with warm tendencies potentially lasting into early October.
