Waiting for autumn in Spain? Thursday hits 37ºC and the warmth holds into October

Spain is basking in an unseasonably warm week, with temperatures soaring above 35°C in many parts as the country transitions from summer to autumn. Thursday, September 24, is set to be the hottest day of the week, with Córdoba and Badajoz forecast to reach 37°C, while Sevilla reaches 36°C and Toledo, Ciudad Real, and Cáceres hit 35°C.

Madrid, Jaén, Lleida, Zaragoza, and Ourense experience temperatures of 34°C. By Wednesday, September 23, the official start of autumn, temperatures will be running 5 to 10°C above average across most of the country and up to 15°C above in some northern areas. The Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has declared the week a full summer week, with no rain expected beyond a few brief drizzles near Melilla and the Strait of Gibraltar.

Yellow heat warnings have been issued for Cataluña and Galicia, while a coastal warning is in place for Cádiz. The cause of this prolonged heatwave is a large area of high pressure over the peninsula, blocking the usual cool air masses that arrive in September. Known as the "veranillo de San Miguel" or "St Michael's little summer," this spell of settled, sunny weather is the Spanish equivalent of an Indian summer.

While many are acclimated to the heat, tropical nights with minimum temperatures remaining above 20°C are predicted in nine cities, including Almería, Málaga, Cádiz, Sevilla, Cáceres, Barcelona, Palma, Tarragona, and Alicante. In the Canary Islands, night temperatures will remain above 25°C. As the country waits for the cooler weather to arrive, residents can expect the heat to persist until at least October 11, with rain unlikely during the period.