Spain and the Balearics will suffer its first heatwave of the summer starting today, the meteorology service AEMET said, as the government kicked off on Wednesday a heat risk awareness campaign for people working mostly outside. After the mainland saw cooler than usual weather so far this summer, AEMET expects temperatures to exceed 38 degrees Celsius in most of the country on Thursday, reaching as much as 42-44 C in the southern Guadalquivir Valley.
The peak of this episode will be on Friday, when most areas will warm up to 40 C. AEMET has issued a heatwave warning for a large part of Spain, including the Balearics. The National Institute for Safety and Health at Work launched the campaign "With sun it's time for caution" on Wednesday to address the risks such as heat stroke and solar radiation.
AEMET's orange-level severe heat alert in parts of the country will also trigger a ban on some outdoor working in the afternoon under a government decree approved last year to cope with more and more frequent heatwaves as a result of fossil fuel-driven climate change. The measure affects outdoors working such as street cleaning and agriculture.
"There are people who are highly affected by such high temperatures, by exposure over many hours and no proper hydration... so my main advice is don't underestimate them because the body is not prepared to withstand those conditions too long," AEMET spokesperson Luis Banon said.
The heatwave is expected to last until Saturday although heat could persist until the middle of next week and will be accompanied by haze coming from Africa, which often exacerbates health problems during heat episodes. In Madrid, where thermometers registered 36 C on Wednesday, people tried to cool off at parks and fountains. "I cope by using a fan if I'm in the street, and if not, by going to places like a shopping centre, or somewhere where it's cooler," retired Madrid resident Angela de la Vega told Reuters.
Last year the first heatwave in Mallorca occurred between the 9th and 12th of July, when the temperature hit 40º. At this point, the meteorologist has clarified that the heatwave occurs between mid-July and mid-August, the period in which the highest values should be recorded, although in recent summers it has happened earlier.
In the meantime the met. office has issued the following advice:
Be aware of the weather forecasts for your destination
Follow the local heat-health alert advice
Consider who in your party is most vulnerable – e.g. young children and older people - and plan around making sure they are protected from excessive heat including the following advice:
Drink plenty of fluids; avoid excessive alcohol and caffeine, as these can dehydrate you
Avoid going out during the hottest parts of the day
Take regular breaks indoors or in a shaded place to cool down
Limit your physical activity to cooler parts of the day, such as morning or evening
Keep your room(s) cool (draw blinds/curtains to block out the daytime sun); open windows when the air outside is cooler than the air inside – so mornings and evenings)
Take a cool bath or shower if you feel too hot
Wear light-coloured, loose-fitting clothes