Insanely hot weather is set to arrive on the Iberian Peninsula with a bang during UK half-term, with Brit tourists set to boil in highs of 37C. Weather maps from WXCharts show a sudden blast of sky-high temperatures hitting Spain and Portugal from May 27, and hovering in the mid 30s for around 72 hours. The hottest weather will be concentrated in central Portugal and southwestern Spain, with the mercury reaching its peak at around 6pm on May 28, according to heatwave forecasts.
The southernmost tip of Portugal, around Faro, is set to sizzle with highs of 36C and 37C, while similar conditions are expected on the Huelva coast and Seville – which has previously been dubbed Europe’s hottest city. Madrid is also expected to reach around 33C at the end of the month, while Lisbon could record up to 34C during the same period. Temperatures of this level threaten to ruin Brits’ holidays, as temperatures heading towards 40C become unbearable and dangerous for people to be outside in during the day.
The peninsula’s northern coastline could miss out from the early spell of hot weather, however, with areas including Bilbao, Santander and the Pyrenees averaging a more modest 22C.
But other tourist hotspots Malaga and Valencia will also see higher than usual temperatures of around 29C.
The hot and sunny spell is set to coincide with UK summer half-term, between May 26 and May 30, and could see hordes of Brits flock to Spain and Portugal to take advantage of the heatwave.
The mercury could begin to dip towards the end of the week, however, with the temperatures only hovering in the mid 30s until the morning of May 31, when it is forecast to drop to a respectable 20C, with cooler conditions in the northwest.
Despite their status as reliable UK-favourite beach getaways, Spain and Portugal usually average 20C to 25C in May, with the upcoming blast of warmth uncommon for the time of year.
It will chase out a brief period of disruptive rainy weather in the region, with drizzly and occasionally thundery conditions seen in the central and eastern peninsula this week.
Spain also experienced a record-breaking 22 days of rainfall in March after the country’s deadliest floods in a decade claimed more than 200 lives last October.