While Britain is currently enjoying a heatwave, Spain is also set to swelter – but not everywhere.
Despite the majority of regions experiencing scorching temperatures, one city on Spain’s north coast is bucking the trend, leading to a mixed response from locals and tourists alike.
From Wednesday, July 17, a large part of the Iberian Peninsula has been under heatwave warnings. The Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has issued alerts for around fifteen provinces in the southern half of the country, including Teruel, and La Rioja.
These areas are seeing temperatures rise above 35C, with some places like the Guadalquivir Valley facing even more extreme conditions.
The situation is set to escalate on Thursday, July 18, leading the Directorate General of Civil Protection and Emergencies to issue alerts for forest fire risks and high temperatures. AEMET predicts that temperatures will exceed 38C in many areas, peaking at a blistering 42-44 degrees Celsius in the Guadalquivir Valley.
Friday, July 19, is expected to be the height of this heatwave, with temperatures over 40C predicted across the affected regions.
Even in areas such as the northern plateau and the Balearic Islands, where it may not technically be a heatwave, temperatures will still be significantly high, ranging between 36-38 degrees Celsius.
However, Santander, the capital of Cantabria, is experiencing notably milder conditions amidst Spain’s scorching heatwave. Thursday’s forecast suggests a cloudy day leading to overcast skies, prompting varied reactions from locals and tourists.
A young woman’s video from Sardinero Beach in Santander went viral on social media, including TikTok, as she humorously questioned the heatwave alerts while basking in cooler climes. “Heatwave WHERE? ! Nowhere beats the north,” she declared, using hashtags like #norteno, #santander, #nortedeespana, #verano2024, #oladecalor, and #espanatiktok.
Cantabria remains an oasis of cooler weather with temperatures peaking at 24C and dipping to 18C, causing envy among those sweltering elsewhere in Spain.
Social media users chimed in on her post, with one commenting: “People complaining that it’s hot, but if you’re in the north, at 9:30 pm it’s already 22 degrees. This is fantastic. Get out of Madrid because it’s very nice here. The heatwave has not arrived.”
Another remarked: “Don’t tell anyone, we will be invaded. We have microclimate in the north – 22C.”
