According to Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (Aemet) Much of Spain is under a heat warning on Thursday, 13 August 2026. A total of 15 Autonomous Communities are affected; parts of 11 have been raised to Orange alert (Nivel naranja). Peak temperatures of more than 40 °C are expected in many regions. Aemet has also issued local severe-weather warnings for thunderstorms and heavy rain. (As of Aemet’s statement of 13 August 2026.)
Key points: Inland basins, river valleys and densely populated urban areas are particularly affected. Orange alerts are in force in, among other places, Córdoba, Jaén and Seville in Andalusia, as well as areas in Aragón, Castile-La Mancha, Extremadura, Galicia, Navarre, the Basque Country and the Autonomous Community of Madrid. Specific areas named include the Sierra de Madrid and the Ribera del Ebro in La Rioja and Navarra; in the province of Ourense reports Aemet extreme daytime highs as well. At the same time, severe-weather warnings for rain and thunderstorms are in force in Almería and Granada, Teruel, Albacete and the north-west of the Región de Murcia; thunderstorm warnings without heavy rain have been issued for Jaén and the Valle del Guadalentín, Lorca and Águilas.
Background and context: The warnings form part of a heatwave that has lasted for several days across the Iberian Peninsula. The weather pattern is being shaped by south-westerly flows of very warm air and their stagnation over large parts of the country, keeping daytime highs at exceptionally high levels. Such weather conditions also increase the risk of forest and vegetation fires and place particular strain on vulnerable groups.
Interests and effects: Local councils and health authorities are activating heat protection plans, focusing on older people, children and outdoor workers. Operators of critical infrastructure and transport services must prepare for heat-related disruption. In agriculture, higher evaporation and heat stress in summer crops threaten to reduce yields.
Facts, attributions and forecasts: The alert levels and areas cited are based on Aemet’s official avisos of 13 August 2026. Assessments of the meteorological causes and possible effects are based on typical experience of such conditions. The outlook is model-based; Aemet has announced daily updates, including specific time windows and affected regions.
Editor: Andreas M. Brucker (Article created with AI assistance).