Madrid Gripped By Stiffling 40 Degree Heatwave
The almost two week heat wave that has gripped Madrid is one of the most intense on record, according to data from Spain’s state meteorological agency AEMET.
Temperatures in the capital have hit a high of 40 degrees today and will be 39 tomorow before dipping to the more seasonal mid 30s from Wednesday onwards.
Agency spokesperson Bea Hervella told Spain’s national broadcaster that the data is still provisional as more needs to be analyzed, and also because the heat wave may not officially be over and may return next week.
“Two heat waves, separated by one day, are considered to be just one long heat wave,” she explained, adding that the mercury maybe rising again after the weekend another bout of excess temperatures is on the horizon.
Following AEMET´s red weather warning for today and tomorow in the capital, the Madrid City Council has suspended street cleaning services between 1400 and 1700 of the afternoon.
10/07 10:48 #AEMET actualiza #FMA por temp. max en Comun. Madrid. Activos HOY y MAÑANA. Nivel máx naranja. Imagen del mapa de avisos en vigor a las 10:48 . Para ver una tabla de avisos actualizada haga CLIC EN LA IMAGEN o visite https://t.co/tJfsjg6sMJ https://t.co/KWZLPEsgmH
— AEMET_Madrid (@AEMET_Madrid) July 10, 2023
Last year a municipal street cleaner collapsed and died from heat exhaustion in a similar heatwave in July.
Last year´s heat wave claimed 678 lives according to excess mortality data from Spain’s Health Ministry.
The dry, scorching temperatures also gave rise to dozens of wildfires, which charred an estimated 40,000 hectares (98,800 acres) of vegetation and killed two people.
Uncontrolled blazes continue, putting Spain on track for its worst wildfire season on record as well.
“Climate change kills,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said at the time.
“It kills people, our ecosystem, our biodiversity and it destroys people’s most precious assets like their homes, their businesses or their livestock.”