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Spain has just entered the dog days of summer, statistically the hottest stretch of the year, and this time it's arriving alongside a fresh burst of heat that's set to spread across the country over the coming days.

 

A ridge of high pressure will build steadily through the week, pushing a mass of warm air that's currently sitting over the Mediterranean out across much of the mainland, with highs of 40°C possible in several areas by the weekend.

 

After a run of intense days in the Mediterranean, some areas of which saw red alerts issued, temperatures will start easing off a touch on Thursday. Even so, it won't feel like much of a break in Catalonia, Aragón, the Valencian Community, Murcia, eastern Andalucía or the Balearic Islands, where highs of 38-39°C are still expected.

 

Friday looks similar to Thursday, with temperatures continuing to hold in the high 30s across the same eastern and southern areas. Meanwhile, the ridge of high pressure will keep building over the country, setting the stage for a more widespread rise in temperatures over the weekend, with the biggest jumps expected in eastern Cantabria, Galicia and western Castilla y León.

 

Saturday brings a clearer shift, with temperatures topping 35-37°C across much of central and southern Spain, along with the Ebro Valley, the northeastern depressions and the Balearic Islands. The Guadalquivir Valley looks set to be the hottest spot, with highs of 40°C likely there and possible in parts of the Guadiana Valley too, while the Ebro Valley can't be ruled out from reaching similar levels.

 

Sunday sees the heat spread even further, with 35°C set to be exceeded across large parts of Castilla y León, inland Galicia, the whole Ebro river basin, inland Catalonia and Valencia, much of Aragón, the Balearic Islands, and the rest of central and southern Spain. Extremadura, western Castilla-La Mancha and much of inland Andalucía could all hit 40°C, with some parts of the northern plateau and the middle Ebro valley not far behind.

 

 

It's still too early to say for certain, but current models suggest the ridge responsible for all this heat could stay parked over Spain well into next week, possibly through to Wednesday.

 

If that holds, Sunday could mark the point at which the conditions for a proper heatwave, in terms of how long it lasts, how intense it gets and how widely it spreads, are officially met.

 

From Monday, 35-37°C looks likely across much of inland Spain and the Balearic Islands, with 40°C expected along the country's major river valleys and in plenty of other inland spots too.

 

For more weather news go to our Weather & Climate page or follow the Spain Weather Watch Facebook group for regular updates

 

Images: Aemet