Holidaymakers from Ireland travelling to Spain this May Bank Holiday weekend have been told to prepare for "extreme" heat due to an African plume that could see temperatures hit 40C.
Popular holiday spots including Seville and Malaga have been hit with sweltering weather with temperatures predicted to reach as high as 40C. Between Wednesday and Friday, the country is set to experience temperatures that are usually seen in July, reports Sky News reports.
Spain's state meterological agency Amet has predicted that later this week the country will be impacted by a weather event which is a "dry air mass of African origin" that will cause temperatures "values typical of summer". According to Amet, the hardest hit region will be the Andalusia region, which is home to cities such as Seville with top temperatures of 40C predicted for Thursday or Friday.
Read more: Dublin Airport issues key advice ahead of May Bank Holiday weekend rush
Meanwhile, the high temperatures are expected to continue throughout the weekend with “tropical nights” where temperatures won't drop below 20C in some areas. Weather models show daytime temperatures will generally hover around the mid-30s this week - but could exceed 40C in some areas.
A spokesperson for Aemet said: "It will be unusually high temperatures for the time of year." The heat also means large parts of the country would be at high or extreme risk of wildfires, AEMET said.
The agency said temperatures are expected to drop on Sunday and Monday, "ending this episode of exceptionally high temperatures for the time of year". Last year, Spain experience severe heatwaves and the hottest May the country had seen in 100 years.
This past summer Spain also battled raging wildfires as temperatures peaked at 47C. Irish tourists are being urged to take necessary precautions when out and about in the warm weather, by drinking lots of fluids during the day, wearing appropriate clothes like shorts and sunhats, and to use sunscreen to avoid heatstroke and sunburn.
Irish holidaymakers are also being reminded to wear appropriate beach attire and that topless men on the street in Barcelona and Majorca may be fined up to €300.
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