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Spaniards are braced for another after a lateMay heatwave shattered multiple According to Aemet, the national weather agency, the average temperature on May 30 reached 24.08°C, the highest May reading since records began in 1950. On that day, parts of Andalusia even exceeded 40°C, marking an early taste of summer intensity. Meteorologists at Aemet warn that this is just the beginning.

Summer, defined by meteorological standards as June through August, is predicted to be hotter than average across most of the country with a 60% chance for higherthannormal temperatures across the peninsula, rising to 70% for the Mediterranean coast and the Balearic and Canary Islands.

Indeed, between May 27 and June 1, maximum temperatures soared 5-10C above typical levels, particularly in northern, eastern, and southern Spain.

A mass of warm air from North Africa ("Spanish plume") amplified these spikes, triggering daytime highs up to 40C in heatprone zones like Andalusia, Extremadura, and the Guadalquivir Valley.

The early heat episode included several extraordinary peaks: 32C average highs on three May days - including 32.19C on 21 May - marked them as the warmest-ever recorded for the month.

In towns such as El Granado (Huelva) temperatures hit 41.6C, while Seville recorded seven consecutive days above 40C-unprecedented for May.

The Mediterranean coast, including Barcelona, Valencia, and the Balearics, is expected to experience frequent "tropical nights," with temperatures failing to drop below 20C, along with abundant consecutive days above 35C.

Aemet has now issued orangelevel warnings in regions such as Andalusia, Lleida, Sevilla, Zaragoza, Albacete, Cordoba, and Granada, where maximum of 35-40C are projected, even crossing 38-39C in Mallorca.

Despite this, experts clarify the summer may not surpass the extremity of 2022, still Spain's hottest summer ever. But this season is shaping up to join the rolling pattern of record warmth seen in 2022-2024, which were the three hottest years on record .

This alarming shift, driven by anthropogenic climate change, is accelerating seasonal warmth. The World Meteorological Organisation reports that this trend - warmer springs leading abruptly into brutal summers - could continue "for at least the next five years," raising the risk of consistently violent heatwaves.

Holidaymakers and locals are being advised to brace for prolonged heat, take precautions like hydration, shade use, and monitoring vulnerable individuals - especially during highrisk inland spikes.

Key data at a glance:

May 30 average temp: 24.08C - record high for May

Minimummaximum anomalies: +5-10C above average (late May)

Hot spots: Andalusia, Guadalquivir - days up to 40C; Mallorca 38-39C

Summer outlook: 60-70% probability of abovenormal temps across Spain