THE Basque city of Bilbao has broken its all-time record for the highest temperature in the month of February as winter gives way to summer-like weather conditions across much of northern Spain.
According to the state weather agency Aemet, the mercury climbed to a toasty 27.1C at Bilbao airport on Tuesday, leapfrogging the previous high of 26.9C set in 2019.
It is also the highest temperature ever recorded in the city during the months of winter.
Record February temperatures were also set earlier in the week in Salamanca (23.5C), Avila (21C) and Caceres (23.3C).
Meteorologists say the spell of hot weather can be attributed to the foehn effect, a wind that arises when pre-existing southerly airflow approaches high ground, such as the Cantabrian mountains in northern Spain.
The wind system is caused by the rain shadow effect, wherein the air drops most of its moisture on one side of the mountain range before warming up as it descends the other side.
Foehn winds can raise temperatures by up to 14C in a matter of hours.
Experts also say that climate change is increasing the frequency and range of this weather phenomenon.
The effects of the wind system were also felt across the border in southwest France where temperatures shot up to around 30C in some areas.
In the southern town of Orthez, temperatures peaked at 28.3C – like Bilbao, the highest-ever recorded peak for February.
In the city of Biarritz, the mercury reached 27C – 14 degrees above normal for this time of year.
According to Aemet, temperatures across the peninsula are set to drop to seasonal averages over the weekend, with the possibility of some frosts across the north of Spain on Sunday morning.
Early estimates suggest that the average temperature across the whole month of February will be around 2C higher than average.
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