Spain weather maps turn volcanic red as 42C heat bomb hits - 5 hottest cities

Spain is set to hit highs of 42C this month, as weather maps turn volcanic red. WXCharts has forecast the hot temperaturesto arrive on July 24.

Temperatures will be highest, 42C, in Seville, Cordoba, Jaen, Badajoz, and Cacarez. It will be over 40C in much of the southwest of Spain(Huelva, Granada, Toledo) and between 32C and 39C across the rest of the country (Madrid, Valencia, Murcia, Malaga, Salamanca). The only place in Spaincooler will be across the north (Bilbao, La Coruna, Gijon, Pamplona), where there will be highs of between 24C and 27C.

Speaking in Seville on Monday, UN Secretary General António Guterres wrote on X: "Extreme heat is no longer a rare event - it has become the new normal. I'm experiencing it firsthand in Spain... The planet is getting hotter and more dangerous - no country is immune."

The heatwave in Europe has been attributed to a 'heat dome', where high pressure traps heat in an area for days, meaning it cannot be moved by wind. The warm air rises as it heats, becoming compressed and trapping even more heat.

The high pressure locks out clouds and cooler air, stretching into the atmosphere where it slows down and becomes 'locked' over an area. It also dries out the ground, creating perfect conditions for fires.

Temperatures in Spain this year have already broken multiple records, with Barcelona seeing the hottest June in 100 years. Official forecaster AEMET has predicted that temperatures will be warmer than average, especially in the Canary and Balearic islands. According to AEMET, the probability of a hotter summer ranges from 60% to 70%.

This Evening and Tonight: A warm and sunny evening away from the east coast. Clear skies in the west overnight and feeling very muggy here in towns and cities. Low cloud over the North Sea spreading inland across eastern England and Scotland.

Sunday: Low cloud in the east retreating to coasts. Mainly settled, but showers possible in the southwest later. Very warm, though less so than Saturday, and much cooler for eastern coasts.

Outlook for Monday to Wednesday: Turning more unsettled next week with heavy showers and thunderstorms at times. Hot in the east on Monday, otherwise temperatures dropping closer to the seasonal average.