Heat: Spain breaks records, but forest fires and heat note decrease

Heat: Spain breaks records, but forest fires and heat note decrease

In Spain, the heat wave reaches historical dimensions, and August set a new record with an average temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. According to the National Weather Service Aemet, this month has not only been the hottest since the beginning of the weather records, but also two degrees warmer than the average temperature range from 1991 to 2020. These extreme values even exceed the temperatures of the particularly hot years 2003 and 2023, which indicates a worrying trend in climate change.

The effects of the intensive heat can be felt nationwide, and for 2024 an average temperature of around 15.8 degrees Celsius is forecast, similar to the previous record year 2022. This suggests that the hottest in the history of Spain could be. The concern for the health of the population is growing, while people try to escape the heat and visit the coastal regions.

beautiful and dangerous heat on the Mediterranean

The Mediterranean, especially around Mallorca, became a bathtub for heat seekers. A meteorologist association recently reported record temperatures of the water, with a measurement of 31.87 degrees on a buoy in the southwest of the popular holiday island. This exceeds the previous record value of 31.36 degrees, which was only measured two years ago. The relentless warmth attracts tourists, but also harbors dangers because climate change exacerbates the conditions for extreme weather events.

The situation, as alarming it seems, also has positive aspects. Compared to the previous year, there was a decline of 46 percent of the areas damaged by forest fires by the end of August. Elena Hernández from the organization to combat forest fires attributes this to growing awareness of society: "Since 80 percent of the fires arise from human action, it seems that people have traded more carefully this year." In addition, the rainy months have contributed to a lower risk of drought, which has reduced the likelihood of fires.

Another ray of hope is the decline in heat notes in Spain. While more than 7,700 heat -related deaths were estimated last year, the National Center for Epidemiology will show a much lower forecast of around 3,000 heat deaths this year until the end of August. A cool summer start and changing behavior of risk groups could explain this positive development. While many people in the coastal countries are looking for coolness, other regions of Spain experience more bearable weather with temperatures around 20 degrees and rain and wind.