The brief hot spell that recently affected the Costa del Sol resulted in Malaga being the hottest place in Europe on Sunday (17th July). The Iberian weather during the summer months is dominated by a semi-permanent 'heat' low centred ovr central Spain. Changes in the position of this depression, due to the passage eastwards of weather systems in northern latitudes, lead to subtle changes in wind directions and speeds. In turn, this can lead to quite major impacts on temperature levels.
Very hot air edged northwards from Africa into southern Spain, and at the same time pressure built over northern Iberia behind a very weak cold front. The result was a shift eastwards of the Spanish 'Low' and a boost to the gentle northwesterly land breeze that affects the Malaga area on most nights during the summer months. Usually the sea breeze develops by 11 o'clock in the morning and the rapidly rising temperature is halted at around 30 Celsius (86F) as the humid, but cooler, sea air floods inland. On Sunday (17th July) the sequence of events were different.
The brisk northwesterly land breeze of the previous night persisted throughout Sunday along much of the Costa del Sol with only brief, 10 minute, interruptions during the afternoon as the sea breeze attempted, unsuccessfully, to move inland. The temperature soared, and aided by the Foehn effect produced by the Sierras backing the coast, values reached between 40 and 41 Celsius (105F) during the late afternoon and early evening. This was easily the hottest day of the year so far, and from figures available, Malaga had the honour of being the hottest place in Europe on the day. The dryness of the air (relative humidity 15%, or less) ensured that the heat was not intolerable, although the evening and night remained hot and difficult for those trying to sleep without air-conditioning.
The minimum temperature on the night of 17th/18th was about 27 Celsius (81F) and Monday (18th) proved to be another hot day. The northwesterly wind remained fresh throughout the day with no hint of sea breeze formation. Fortunately, the air arriving in Malaga during the day was slightly cooler than on the previous day and as a result temperatures were a shade lower with highs near 38 Celsius (100F). The relative humidity was lower, too, with values of 9% during the afternoon and evening with dewpoints of minus 1 Celsius (30F).
The following night eventually became cooler with temperatures falling to between 20 and 22 Celsius (68-72F), and on Tuesday (19th July) normal summer weather returned to Malaga with an early sea breeze pegging daytime maxima to a pleasant 29 Celsius (84F).
