AN ANTI-CYCLONE described by weather bosses as ‘eternal’ continues in Spain with a second weekend of unusually-high temperatures forecast, even in areas that are traditionally uncomfortably freezing at this time of year.
Zaragoza, in central Aragón – a region where the thermometer barely reaches double figures in the daytime in late February and early March – the mercury could soar to up to 26ºC, says the State meteorological agency, AEMET.
In the provinces of Valencia, in the east, Lleida in the land-locked north-east and bordering the Pyrénées, and Vizcaya – the capital of which is Bilbao – in the Basque Country, temperatures of around 25ºC or 26ºC are predicted.
Girona, on Spain’s far north-eastern border, will be around 24ºC, as will Córdoba in the south, traditionally one of the country’s hottest provinces and where the mercury was originally forecast to rise to around 28ºC last weekend.
Today (Thursday), most of the mainland is enjoying sunny weather of around 18ºC – not quite beach temperatures, but enough not to bother with a coat.
Córdoba’s 28ºC did not materialise, but its 24.3ºC on Saturday broke all records and was 1ºC higher than the hottest February 23 documented, in 1990.
Ourense (Galicia) reached 24.8ºC on Saturday, the hottest temperature for that date since the Millennium.
Even in areas where thermals and woollies would normally be necessary during the warmest part of the day – such as the Castilla y León province of Soria – exceptional weather has been reported this week; Monday saw thermometers soar to 21.5ºC, the highest for that date since 1998, when temperatures of 18.5ºC marked a new high.
Mild climates, clear skies and dry weather are expected for most of next week – and although some rain may hit the north and west of the mainland on Monday and Tuesday due to an Atlantic front entering via Galicia, this will be combined with warmer-than-usual temperatures.
Rain is not expected in the Mediterranean area, where temperatures in the last week – and forecast for next week – remain consistently at around 10ºC higher than usual for late February and early March.
