The State Meteorological Agency, known as AEMET, has issued a special weather warning for an intense heatwave poised to impact nearly all of the Spanish mainland, excluding the Cantabrian region and the Canary Islands. Forecasts indicate that this heatwave will begin on Sunday, the third of August, and may persist until at least Sunday, the tenth of August. Earlier predictions had suggested some improvement by Thursday, the seventh of August.

According to AEMET, temperatures are expected to escalate sharply on the third of August, particularly in the southwestern quadrant and southern Galicia, where highs of thirty-eight degrees Celsius and above are likely. In the valleys of the Guadiana, Guadalquivir, and Tagus, temperatures could reach between forty and forty-two degrees Celsius. This extreme weather phenomenon is attributed to a stable synoptic pattern characterised by high atmospheric pressure over much of the country, combined with a low pressure system in the southwest.

As a result, a hot, dry air mass from North Africa is set to push into the Iberian Peninsula, bolstered by strong solar radiation typical of the month of August. The intense heat will extend to the Cantabrian coast on Monday, the fourth of August, with low-lying inland areas expected to experience widespread highs around forty degrees Celsius. Areas such as the lower Miño basin and inland regions are also likely to see similar temperatures.

Minimum temperatures during this period will remain unusually high, with nights expected to reach above twenty-three to twenty-five degrees Celsius across much of the centre and south, alongside the Mediterranean coast. AEMET warns the public to stay informed, take necessary health precautions, and prepare for the widespread extreme heat lasting through at least the tenth of August.