Madrid, Aug 25
Spain's State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has said that the heatwave striking the country this August was the most intense on record, both in terms of temperatures and impacts.
According to provisional data, average temperatures during the August 3-18 period were 4.6 degrees Celsius above the seasonal norm, surpassing the previous record of 4.5 degrees Celsius set in July 2022, reported.
AEMET noted that August 8-17 marked the hottest 10 consecutive days since at least 1950, while the first 20 days of August were the hottest for that period since at least 1961. The days of August 11, 16, and 17 rank among the 10 hottest days registered in Spain since 1941.
Since records began in 1975, Spain has experienced 77 heatwaves. Six of these saw temperatures exceed the average by 4 degrees Celsius, with five occurring since 2019, indicating a trend toward longer and more intense heatwaves.
According to the government's Daily Mortality Monitoring System, this year's heatwaves have caused 1,149 deaths.