Spain activates red heat alert as first summer heatwave pushes temperatures to 40°C

Heatwave onset and nationwide alerts

Spain's state meteorological agency Aemet has declared the first official heatwave of the summer, starting Sunday 21 June and expected to last until Wednesday 24 June. The agency has issued a red alert for the interior of the Basque Country, where temperatures could reach 40°C, and orange alerts for ten autonomous communities including Aragón, Extremadura, La Rioja, Cantabria, and large parts of Galicia. Yellow warnings cover the rest of the peninsula and the Balearic Islands.

The advance of a hot, dry Saharan air mass northwards, combined with intense June sunshine, will drive temperatures well above normal. Aemet warned of "a likely episode of very high and persistent temperatures between Sunday 21 and the first half of next week". Daytime highs of 38°C to 40°C are forecast in the valleys of the Ebro, Tajo, Guadiana and Guadalquivir rivers, as well as in the interior of Extremadura and Zaragoza. In Galicia, orange alerts have been activated for the Miño region of Ourense and southern Lugo, with maximums of 39°C expected. Cantabria's Liébana and central areas are under orange alert for up to 37°C.

Nighttime heat offers no relief

The heat will not ease after sunset. Aemet's maps for 1 a.m. on Sunday show four locations still recording 30°C: Cáceres, Herrera del Duque (Badajoz), Linares (Jaén) and Almería. Another five cities are forecast to stay at 29°C: Badajoz, Castuera, Ciudad Real, Zaragoza and Caparroso (Navarra). These values reflect the intensity of the warm air mass and the retention of daytime heat in poorly ventilated inland areas. Dust in suspension over the eastern peninsula is expected to contribute to the oven-like effect overnight.

Cáceres30

Herrera del Duque30

Linares30

Almería30

Cáceres

30 °C

Herrera del Duque

30 °C

Linares

30 °C

Almería

30 °C

Data from the article text

What's driving the extreme heat

The heatwave is being caused by a large anticyclone sitting over the Iberian Peninsula and the inflow of an African air mass from lower latitudes. Aemet explained:

“These two elements will favour the northward displacement of the Saharan mass, dry and very hot, which, together with the high insolation typical of this time of year, will give rise to a likely episode of very high and persistent temperatures between Sunday 21 and the first half of next week.”

The weather pattern is also generating calima, dust haze, in eastern and Balearic areas, reducing air quality.

Regional impacts and safety measures

In Extremadura, the 112 emergency centre has activated orange alerts for Sunday across comarcas in both Badajoz and Cáceres provinces, with maximums of 40°C in areas such as Vegas del Guadiana, La Siberia, Barros y Serena, and the Tajo-Alagón region. Authorities have urged town councils to alert Civil Protection volunteers and local police. The public is advised to avoid sun exposure in the central hours of the day, drink plenty of water and fruit juices without waiting for thirst, avoid heavy meals and alcohol, reduce physical activity, and stay in ventilated or air-conditioned rooms.

La Rioja will remain under orange alert on Sunday and yellow on Monday, with the Ribera del Ebro zone expecting 39°C to 40°C. In Aragón, orange warnings cover Huesca, Zaragoza and Bajo Aragón on Sunday afternoon. The heatwave is also expected to bring afternoon storms with strong wind gusts in parts of the central peninsula and Galicia.