Benidorm 'breaks' the thermometer in the region on the hottest day of the year

Benidorm city centre reached 33ºC at 2 PM this Wednesday, marking a particularly hot day across the Marina Baixa region. This temperature, the highest of the day in the entire Valencian Community, also represents the first 'hot day' (defined as days exceeding 32ºC) of the year. According to Avamet data, this mark was only surpassed once in June last year.

Although the day began in the tourist capital with very cloudy skies and a wind that helped alleviate the intense muggy feeling, a slight rainfall late in the morning gave way to the sun, which continued to shine brightly in the midday hours, pushing the mercury well above 30ºC.

This same situation has been repeated in many other parts of the Marina Baixa. Thus, in the top 10 of the Valencian Community according to data from Avamet's stations distributed throughout the territory, Finestrat village (32.8ºC), Relleu (32.4ºC), Orxeta (32.2ºC), or Cala de Finestrat (31.8ºC) also appear.

As always happens in these cases, the heat is received in the main destinations of the Costa Blanca in very different ways. While tourists, who have flocked to the beaches en masse, perceive it as a blessing since, after all, it is what they expect and seek during these pre-summer days, the residents of Marina Baixa resign themselves to a working day where those not fortunate enough to enjoy air conditioning, especially those working outdoors, have no choice but to find relief as best they can.

However, the orography of Marina Baixa also presents a picture of great contrasts, as one of Avamet's stations in the area, located at the peak of Aitana (in the municipality of Confrides), recorded, also at 2 PM, the minimum temperature of the entire Valencian Community, with a very pleasant 21ºC, which, however, can only be enjoyed by the military stationed at the Air Surveillance Squadron number 5.

Looking ahead to the coming hours, a particularly hot night is expected in the city of Benidorm, with minimum temperatures not dropping below 23ºC, although the anticipated increase in relative humidity could make both tonight and, especially, tomorrow Thursday feel even warmer than it currently is.

As always happens in these cases, healthcare professionals urge extreme caution in the face of the heat and, especially for the most vulnerable groups, to follow the well-known basic advice to avoid serious complications. Among them, avoiding prolonged sun exposure, maintaining good hydration, avoiding physical exercise during the hottest hours of the day, consuming fresh and light foods, or dressing in light and loose clothing are always among the most repeated.