The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has announced that the Canary Islands are currently experiencing the “hottest St Martin’s summer since 1950,” with temperatures significantly above the norm for this time of year. This extraordinary warmth is set to continue breaking temperature records until the upcoming weekend, after which a marked drop is expected, bringing temperatures back to more typical values.
AEMET spokesperson Rubén del Campo highlighted that November 11th to 14th were the warmest days for this period in peninsular Spain since at least 1950. He predicts further record-breaking temperatures until the weekend, particularly on Saturday and Sunday, when another rise in temperatures is anticipated.
On November 14th, more than 80 weather stations, or one in nine, recorded maximum temperatures exceeding 28ºC. Of these, 32 stations reported temperatures over 30ºC. This period marked the warmest for these dates in peninsular Spain since record-keeping began in 1950.
The temperature in Malaga and the Canary Islands even surpassed 32ºC on Tuesday. However, AEMET disregarded the 35.6ºC record in Torremolinos on the 14th due to it being an outlier compared to nearby stations.
Del Campo explained that on the 14th, in much of the eastern third and the south of the peninsula, maximum temperatures were between 7 and 12ºC higher than usual.
For the rest of the week, warmer-than-usual conditions are expected, including a weekend temperature increase of 5 to 10ºC above the seasonal norm across large parts of the country. Rainfall is expected to be limited, mainly to Galicia and the Cantabrian Sea, and will cease by the weekend. Fog in inland and coastal areas may reduce visibility and impact road traffic.
Starting Monday, a dramatic temperature drop and a more autumnal atmosphere are anticipated, with some areas in the east and south of the peninsula experiencing colder-than-normal weather. However, significant rainfall is only expected in the far north and the Balearic Islands.
This Thursday, rains are expected to affect the extreme north, particularly in Galicia and its western half. Elsewhere, fog banks will return, mainly in low-lying areas of the peninsular interior, the Balearic coasts, and the south of Andalusia.
Temperatures will remain steady, with around 20ºC on the Cantabrian coast, 15ºC to 20ºC in the interior of the northern half and center of the peninsula, and above 20ºC in the southern half of the Mediterranean and the Balearic Islands. Cities like Valencia and Murcia are expected to reach 25ºC, as will Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
The forecast for Friday and the weekend suggests minimal rainfall and predominance of anticyclonic weather, with fog in large inland areas and on the coast during early hours. Temperatures will fall in the northeast on Friday but rise elsewhere.
Del Campo emphasizes that this Saturday and Sunday will be “very warm” for the season, with maximum temperatures 5ºC to 10ºC above the usual for November in Spain. Temperatures will exceed 20ºC in the Cantabrian Sea, a large part of the eastern, central, and southern half of the peninsula, as well as in both archipelagos. Meanwhile, Andalusia, Valencia, the Region of Murcia, and their surrounding areas will see temperatures above 25ºC.
From Monday, a shift in the atmospheric situation is expected, leading to the arrival of cold air. AEMET predicts a significant temperature drop by Monday and Tuesday, returning temperatures to normal seasonal levels.
Eltiempo.es adds that the snow level will also fall on Monday, with frosts expected on the plateau and central moors. Temperatures will only remain above 20ºC in parts of the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands, where a drop in temperatures and increased cloudiness is also forecast.
By Tuesday, the cold air mass will reach the Canary Islands, leading to a temperature drop. On Wednesday, thermometers will fall further due to more cold air arriving from the north.
In summary, maximum temperatures across a large part of the country will not exceed 15ºC, and in areas of the northern plateau, they will barely surpass 10 or 11ºC. Minimum temperatures will drop below 10ºC in most of the interior of the Peninsula and below 5ºC in the interior of the northern half.
