Sharjah24 – Reuters: Fans, air conditioning, swimming pools, cold drinks or ice-cream -- all remedies were welcomed on Monday in Spain as Spaniards weathered the earliest heat wave in over 40 years.
A cloud of hot air from North Africa has sent temperatures soaring, AEMET forecasters said, and the suffocating heat wave could last in most of Spain until June 16 or 17, a few days before summer officially starts on June 21.
With temperatures surpassing 40 C (104°F) in parts of central and southern Spain, the current heat wave is the earliest one registered since 1981, according to state meteorological agency AEMET.
The national weather agency also sent out a warning saying the heat wave could feel even worse across the country due to presence of sand and dust in the air from the Sahara.
Popular tourist destinations such as Sevilla and Cordoba, in which surpassing 40 C is not unusual during the summer months, are set to reach up to 43 C (109.4°F) in the coming days with the country's capital Madrid sweltering with 41 C on Monday.
Last year was marked by extreme temperatures in Spain as snowstorm Filomena paralyzed the country in January with temperatures as low as -21 C ( -5.8°F) as well as record-breaking heat waves in August.
For an optimal experience, please
