Sport and walking domestic dogs, two very common activities in the Iberian country, have been drastically reduced with a heatwave already lasting more than 10 days and will start to be abandoned on Sunday, according to experts.
Temperatures will not drop drastically either, but rather settle towards the normality of this early summer, with averages of between 30 and 32 degrees, which the National Weather Service (Aemet) says are reasonable compared to current events.
Consumption of water and use of lighter clothing is the general recommendation in a scenario that particularly affects the elderly and also school children. The population is demanding lesson cuts, changed working hours and more support for older people.
Small birds, commonly seen near buildings, have significantly reduced their presence due to the intensity of the heat and the effect it has on their young in the nests.
The Aemet, which issues alerts in different colors to draw attention to the weather pattern, remains red across most of the national territory this Thursday despite hopes of rain in some areas, which will mitigate the situation.
Madrid arrived at midnight with 30 degrees on the thermometer, which was quite unusual for the time and which exceptionally can only happen again in August, in the middle of summer.
The south, and Andalusia in particular, keeps temperatures above 40 degrees during the day and at night the descent barely reaches 28 degrees.
This early heatwave, which is breaking records and comes on top of another heatwave less than a month ago (…), is extremely worrying, reiterated Minister for Ecological Transition Teresa Ribera.
Ribera, who is also the government’s third vice-president, pointed out that expecting higher numbers in mid-summer, July and August, could alarm the general population.
Aemet meant temperatures for the time of year are as much as seven to 12 degrees above the normal average, an unusual intensity adding to last May’s warm month.
The agency clearly linked the event to global warming of the atmosphere, which already showed highly worrying signs in August 2021 when 47.4 degrees were measured in Montoro, Andalusia.
jf/ft