Heatwave places almost all of Spain on alert

A severe heatwave has placed almost all of Spain under weather alerts on Tuesday, with parts of Andalusia, the Basque Country, and Cantabria under a red alert signaling 'extraordinary danger' Source: elnacionalve.

Alert levels

The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) issued red alerts—the highest level—for areas near Córdoba, Bilbao, and parts of Cantabria from 13:00 to 21:00 local time, with temperatures potentially reaching 40°C in the Basque Country Source: diariolibree. Most of central and northern Spain is under orange alert, while the rest of the country is on yellow alert, except for most coastal areas Source: elnacionalve. Aemet warns that red alert implies 'damage could be very serious or catastrophic,' and authorities urge the public to avoid non-essential travel and follow official guidance Source: diariolibree.

Broader context

The heatwave began Sunday and may last until Thursday Source: elnacionalve. On Monday, over 100 Aemet stations recorded temperatures of 40°C or more, and about 30 stations did not drop below 25°C overnight Source: diariolibree. The coast of Almería did not fall below 30°C for a third consecutive day Source: elnacionalve.

• The summer of 2025 was the hottest on record in Spain, with an average temperature of 24.2°C Source: diariolibree.