Weather in Alicante: The province experiences its hottest June on record

The province of Alicante has been experiencing the warmest days since records began in 1950, starting from late May. This situation is expected to continue throughout the month with no forecast of temperatures dropping in the coming days, according to the Spanish Meteorological Agency (Aemet).

It was a hot air mass from North Africa that caused an additional rise in temperatures. This situation, with slight fluctuations, will persist in the province of Alicante. "No significant changes are expected in the short term, and it is likely that this anomalous heat will continue in the coming days," Aemet reports.

The highest temperatures are expected to be recorded inland, with sultry conditions on the coast due to high humidity, according to the state agency.

Over the past two weeks, temperatures have consistently been above the average recorded over the last thirty years, between 1991-2020, with peaks nearly five degrees higher than usual.

However, the worst aspect is the minimum temperatures. Tropical nights, those exceeding 20 degrees, have started earlier than ever this year. On the last Sunday to Monday night, temperatures did not drop below 21 degrees Celsius along the coast. The highest records were noted in Pego (22.6 degrees Celsius) and Alicante (21.6). Other notable values in the province were in Orihuela (21.3); Alicante-Elche airport (21.1) and Rojales (20.9).

It is very rare to experience such warm nights in the first ten days of June. In the capitals' observatories, this has happened very few times, and all occurrences have been since 2010. The average minimum in Alicante, at 19.5, surpasses 2024, which was 19.2.

The most significant aspect has been the persistence, as since the end of May, minimum temperatures have been well above the normal average. In the three capitals' observatories, the average night temperatures are the highest in the first nine days of June.

This situation will continue, at least, until the end of the month, which suggests a warm San Juan Bonfires festival in Alicante. Both the week of June 16 to 22 and the week of June 23 to 29 will be warmer than usual for this time of year. Temperatures will be between one and three degrees above the usual for these dates in the province.

And what are the reasons for these early high temperatures? Aemet responds: "One reason justifying this anomalous behaviour of night temperatures is the surface temperature of the western Mediterranean, which on average is close to 23 ºC with areas exceeding 24, which are more than 2 ºC above normal."

The high temperature of the Mediterranean, as a result of climate change, has a direct effect on Alicante's climate and the arrival of more extreme heat. According to a study by the Mediterranean Studies Centre (CEAM), the first heatwave of each summer is advancing at a rate of four days per decade since 1985, while it ends three days later.

This phenomenon has been occurring since 1985, during which time heatwaves have increased by 90%. The consequence of this is directly related to the increase in the temperature of the Mediterranean Sea.

This is explained by Jorge Olcina, Professor of Geography at the University of Alicante (UA) and climatology expert: "Summer is increasingly extending into June and September, and this study confirms this," admits the director of the UA Climatology Laboratory, who insists that "it is related to the sea water, not just the air temperature, which makes June increasingly hotter."

The expert asserts that "all these factors make the warm season last longer, and the cold season shorter." This new climate change context is one of the hallmarks of the 'new climate' of the province and one of the challenges it faces.