In Spain it’s been about 20 degrees warmer than usual lately in April, announcement the Washington Post (WP). During this week’s heat wave, not only Spain, but also European temperature records were set in several cities – this was the case in Córdoba, he wrote Spanish newspaper El Mundo.

Meteorologists at the airport there on Thursday they measure 38.7 degrees Celsius. The record temperatures, along with the country’s long-running drought, are causing extreme meteorological phenomena and fears of an impending summer.

It’s not just Spain that has experienced its warmest summer months since records began last year. “We are heading towards a future where we reach 50 degrees, which will have a big impact,” Jaime Martínez-Urtaza, adviser to the World Health Organization and expert on the health effects of climate change, told El Mundo.

According to him, the big problem will be a lack of water besides heat, and in extreme cases, flooding.

The previous Spanish temperature record – 47.6 degrees Celsius – dates back to August 2021 and was set in the city of La Rambla in the province of Córdoba.

“Summers will be longer and warmer, but the fact that we have to get used to fifty-degree summers is perhaps an exaggeration. A period as hot as 2022, when heatwaves last nearly half the year and extremely high temperatures persist, will probably be the norm in the middle of the century,” said Rubén del Campa, a spokesman for the Spanish meteorological company Aemet.

Drought is a serious problem for the country and has been going on for five years in some areas, according to AP. More than a third of Spain’s territory findings was in a state of emergency and water supplies throughout the country were at half capacity. Extreme fire warnings will be in place over the weekend, including a ban on setting fires in nature.

April’s record temperatures were caused by a wave of hot, dry air that originated in North Africa and spread north across the Iberian Peninsula. Climate change caused by human activities is also contributing to rising temperatures, notes WP.

Portugal also broke its April temperature record on Thursday. The temperature also rose to 41.3 degrees in Marrakesh, Morocco. The heat is expected to ease slightly over the weekend.

Temperatures are also rising in the south of France, reaching 30 degrees Celsius at the start of the weekend. This is about five to 10 degrees more than usual for this period. “The effects of the heat wave will be felt in France, but it will be a less extraordinary situation.” he wrote on Meteorologist Guillaume Séchet’s Twitter.

Extreme weather also hit other regions around the world. Australia is expecting heavy rain and winds this weekend. Similar weather prevails in the United States, for example in Texas, where hail drops the size of tennis balls and winds reaching speeds of up to 95 kilometers per hour. he reminded The Guardian newspaper.