New heat wave is on the horizon. If AEMET forecasts are confirmed, Spain could endure a fourth heat spell this summer. Across the Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, temperatures are set to climb by roughly 5 to 10 degrees Celsius above typical levels this weekend, with the north experiencing even hotter conditions. The new warm front will anchor its presence from Sunday through Tuesday, shaping the country’s weather pattern in a sustained hot spell.
As Rubén del Campo, a spokesperson for the State Meteorological Service, notes, this marks the fourth heat wave of the season in Spain. Across much of the territory, daytime highs will push past 35°C, while tropical nights—where temperatures stay above 20°C—will affect many regions. The interior of the central and southern peninsula, plus portions of the Mediterranean coast, are expected to endure especially warm nights above 25°C, contributing to three days of unusually high daily highs and lows for this time of year.
Maximum temperatures will run high in the Ebro, Tagus, Guadiana, and Guadalquivir valleys, often reaching around 40°C, though the Mediterranean coast may not see values as extreme. The overall feel will be heavy due to high humidity, producing dense warmth that makes the heat feel more oppressive.
In this context, the heat is forecast to begin with intensity in the northern and eastern thirds of the peninsula on Thursday and Friday, then spread to a larger portion of the country as a hot air mass moves in. A potential dust-laden plume from high-pressure systems could affect air quality as it travels over Spain, complicating respiration for sensitive populations.
Extreme fire risk accompanies these conditions. Aemet warns of the possibility that this period becomes the fourth heat wave of the summer, urging vigilance against the threat of extreme fires given scarce rainfall and persistent dryness in the environment.
Regarding precipitation, the spokesperson explained that rain will be scarce due to persistent anticyclonic conditions that favor dry and sunny skies. A front will brush western Galicia bringing some rain, but overall totals will be light. Cantabrian regions may see brief, weak showers, with isolated storms developing in mountainous zones.
Temperatures will be elevated in the coming days, especially across the eastern peninsula and the Balearic Islands. From the weekend onward, heat will intensify and spread more widely. A hot air mass with high pressure could be accompanied by suspended dust over Spain, potentially degrading air quality in several areas.
Extreme fire risk
Given these factors, Aemet does not dismiss the possibility that this could be the fourth heat wave of the summer, paired with a considerable fire risk due to dry conditions, high temperatures, and limited rainfall.
From a precipitation standpoint, rainfall will remain limited thanks to anticyclonic dominance, with a western Galicia front bringing some clouds and light showers. Elsewhere, a broad pattern of dry weather persists, though light precipitation may occur in the Cantabrian Sea region and in some mountainous pockets of the interior.
Expect very high temperatures in the coming days, particularly in the eastern peninsula and the Balearic Islands. From the weekend, however, heat will become even more widespread across the nation, signaling a new episode of unusually high temperatures for the time of year. The heat could reach critical levels in several major urban centers, stressing power grids and health services alike.
In detail, Thursday will see high temperatures across the eastern, central, and southern parts of the peninsula and the Balearic Islands, with cities such as Zaragoza and Toledo reaching around 38°C. Storms may break out in the afternoon across eastern mountainous regions. On Friday, temperatures will rise further in the Mediterranean and Cantabrian zones, with many places reporting 38°C, and some pushing toward 40°C in Zaragoza and nearby areas.
August-like heat persists, but Galicia’s Friday front may bring abundant cloudiness and persistent rain to the western part of the community, with rainfall accumulations possibly exceeding 40 liters per square meter in 12 hours in some locales. Across the rest of the country, a mix of warmer and drier conditions remains likely, with weaker rainfall in Galicia and Asturias on Saturday and lighter cloud cover plus a chance of a late-day storm in the Pyrenees.
Maximum temperatures will hover between 35°C and 40°C in many inland areas of the south and central peninsula. The north could see temperature rises of 10 to 15°C above normal in certain zones, while other regions may experience a 5 to 10°C deviation. Alongside the heat, tropical nights with temps staying above 20°C will be felt in the eastern, central, and southern portions of the peninsula and the Balearic Islands.
The heat is projected to linger into the start of next week, with temperatures generally rising on Monday and stabilizing only in the Cantabrian region by Tuesday. Expect several days of very hot conditions with daytime highs 5–10°C above normal nationwide and 10–15°C above normal in parts of the northern third. A drop in temperatures is anticipated from Wednesday, bringing growing instability and storms of uncertain size as the pattern shifts.
Additionally, suspended dust may arrive with moderate northeast winds along the coasts and easterly winds in higher Canaries zones, with increased temperatures across the archipelago over the weekend. Overall, the Canary Islands could see a trend of slightly cloudy to partly cloudy skies and maximums reaching up to around 34°C in Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, and other central zones as next week begins.
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Environmental authorities remind residents to stay hydrated, limit outdoor exposure during peak sun hours, and monitor local advisories as conditions evolve. This coming stretch of heat underscores the importance of public health guidance and preparedness measures in heat-prone regions across Spain and its neighboring communities.