The wave of heat lived in the country between July 9 and 18, 2022 has been the third in duration and extension since there are recordsaccording to provisional data, since “that figure could still increase” and be “provisionally” also the one with the greatest anomaly, as explained by the spokeswoman for the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), Bea Hervella.
Due to the situation experienced in recent days, the AEMET has presented a preliminary and interim study that seeks to evaluate and quantify the recent heat wave experienced in the country.
As Hervella explained, the study “is still provisional” because “more stations need to be included in the analysis in order to officially close it” and, furthermore, “two heat waves separated by a day are considered a single heat wave”. At this point, he specified that the wave was closed last Monday, on Tuesday “the conditions were not met”, but this Wednesday “it is still within that event horizon that prevents any analysis from being definitively closed”.
Considering the provisional nature of the data, the study indicates that in the Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, the heat wave began on July 9 and has lasted until at least July 18 “waiting for what happens today”.
“That assumes a provisional duration of at least ten days and makes it provisionally the third longest in a ranking headed by the wave of July 2015, which lasted 26 days, and in August 2003, which lasted 16“, has pointed out the spokeswoman who has added that there will be “we have to wait in case the account is finally increased”.
The mean anomaly, adds the study, is also very high, with 4.2ºC so far, the maximum in the series. “But once again we must emphasize that it is a provisional figure,” insisted Hervella.
A) Yes, the warmest day was July 14 and the day with the highest number of affected provinces was July 15with 36, “which would make it the third largest wave, tied with three others,” said the spokeswoman, who stressed that “it is very likely that this figure will increase.”
In the case of the Canary Islands, the data can already be considered definitive since the heat wave experienced in the archipelago lasted between July 9 and 11. It affected the two provinces and the hottest day was July 10, with a maximum temperature of 37.6ºC, an average anomaly of 5.6ºC, which makes it “a remarkable heat wave in terms of intensity.”
“The anomaly may seem high and significant, but there are many references with higher figures, such as June 2012 with an anomaly of 7.1ºC or July 2004, with an anomaly of 6.9ºC. In relation to the maximum temperature of the wave , is surpassed by the 39ºC reached again in June 2012”, he explained.
More than 110 high temperature records in Spain
On the other hand, according to eltiempo.es, this first part of the heat wave has left a count of more than 110 new records throughout the country. Currently, average temperature anomalies exceed 2ºC in vast areas of the country, and even 3ºC in a timely manner.
Since the beginning of this wave, on July 9, the western peninsular has been the most affected areaa region plagued by a persistent drought.
During the peak of this wave, between Wednesday the 13th and Friday the 15th, absolute records of maximums and minimums have been registered. For example, on the 14th, the Zamora station measured a maximum temperature of 41.8ºC, which means that its previous absolute maximum (July 24, 1995) was beaten by 0.8ºC. In addition, the station has had 6 consecutive days with temperatures above 40ºC, which means that in 2022 alone there are already more days with these values than in the sum of all previous years.
Other highlights They are León-Virgen del Camino, Burgos-Airport or Puerto de Navacerrada which, with 33.4ºC, has exceeded its previous historical maximum by more than 1ºC.
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the records They have also been protagonists during the nights and extensible in numerous points of the Spanish geography, with temperatures that have not fallen below 20ºC for more than six consecutive nights. Among the highest minimums, are the 28.7ºC of Plasencia, which is its new absolute record.
The records for warm nights have been set throughout the country, being especially prominent in the northern plateau. León, for example, registered a minimum of 24.5ºC and in Segovia they did not drop below 25ºC for four consecutive nights, with a higher minimum of 27.4ºC.