The heat in Spain sets a national – and possibly European – record
The Iberian Peninsula is currently roaring with extreme temperatures. More than 140 new peaks have already been set this time of year. An overview.
Record heat in the Iberian Peninsula: In Portugal and Spain on April 27, temperatures exceeded 36 degrees in some areas (in pink).
Map: European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF)
While it is cold and rainy in Switzerland, people in the Iberian Peninsula are currently suffering from a severe heat wave. “Typical for summer” temperatures have been reached across the country since Monday, according to the Spanish Meteorological Service (Amet).
A national record for April was set on Thursday: 38.8 degrees was measured at Córdoba airport in the south – almost 5 degrees higher than the previous April high at this measuring station.
Graphic: Robert Rhode, Berkeley Earth’s Surface Temperature
Experts even consider a new European record. Mika Ranthanen The Finnish Meteorological Institute talks about the “highest April temperature ever recorded in Europe”. are of the same opinion Georg Casselman as well as a Scottish meteorologist Scott Duncan. However, the latter points out that the record is provisional, meaning that it has not yet been officially confirmed.
Further aemet These are preliminary data, he says. If this value is confirmed, it will be the highest temperature ever recorded in mainland Spain in April. In 2013, 40.2 degrees were measured in Gran Canaria. The island off the northwest coast of Africa is politically part of Spain, but geographically, and above all meteorologically, not really part of Europe.
38.8 degrees in Córdoba is undoubtedly exceptional, but it is only the peak of the heat wave that started earlier this year. New April records were set at nearly 90 observatories across the country, data from Aemet showed.
Temperatures are currently 6 to 10 degrees above the long-term seasonal average, according to Spain’s meteorological service. In some areas, values can be as high as 15 to 20 degrees. “That’s not normal. Temperatures are completely out of control this year,” said an Amet spokesman.
Portugal broke its previous April temperature record on Thursday. Mora, in the center of the country, recorded 36.9 degrees. Across the country, 57 and thus almost two-thirds of the measuring stations recorded new high values for the month. National Meteorological Service (IPMA) contacted.
The reason for the unusually high spring temperatures is a very warm and dry air mass moving from Africa across the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands. Added to this is stable weather with lots of sunshine. According to forecasts, the situation will improve somewhat by the end of the week.
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