SPAIN is preparing for the possibility of a scorching summer ahead, with warnings of extreme heat and record-breaking temperatures across the country thanks to a rare weather phenomenon.
Meteorologists believe a rapidly-developing ‘Super El Niño’ could drive temperatures to unusually high levels.
Although spring has only just begun, some areas have already seen temperatures exceed 30C.
Even normally chilly northern areas have felt the heat, such as Bilbao which broke its all-time February high earlier this year as the mercury topped a toasty 27C.
While this doesn’t guarantee an extreme summer, it may point to a pattern beginning to form.
At the centre of the concern is El Niño, a phenomenon linked to warming waters in the Pacific Ocean.
These changes can disrupt global air circulation and influence weather across Europe.
When intensified into a ‘Super El Niño,’ the effects are even stronger, often bringing hotter and drier conditions to Spain during summer.
Southern Spain is once again expected to bear the brunt of extreme conditions.
Andalucia, which regularly records the country’s highest temperatures, could face conditions similar to last year, when temperatures reached a sizzling 45.8C.
Experts are not only concerned about the duration of warm weather events.
Heatwaves lasting days or even weeks can have a far greater impact than isolated hot days.
High-pressure systems over Europe will play a crucial role.
When they settle over the Iberian Peninsula, they trap heat, block cooler air and limit cloud formation, causing temperatures to rise quickly.
While most of the country is likely to feel the impact, there is a slight chance the Cantabrian coast could escape the worst if cooler northerly winds develop.
For now, Spain is being urged to prepare for a summer that may be more intense and demanding than usual.
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