Alerts active across Alicante province
Spain's Costa Blanca is enduring a punishing combination of heat and humidity, with yellow and orange warnings issued by the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) for Alicante province.1 The peak of the current heat wave is expected on Thursday.1 Aemet has also raised a red alert for the southern coastal strip of Alicante and Valencia ahead of that peak.5
Temperatures pushing past 40C inland
Inland areas of Alicante province could see highs reaching at least 40C, while the pre-coastal Vega Baja region is forecast to hit 38C.1 Jorge Olcina, from the University of Alicante's climate department, warned that inland temperatures will widely exceed 40C.1 Coastal maximums are expected to stay near 35C but with persistent, heavy humidity making conditions feel worse than the numbers suggest.1
The southern coastal strip of Alicante and Valencia faces the most severe conditions. Aemet's red-level warning covers that zone, where temperatures could surpass 42C.5 A separate extreme high-temperature warning is also in force for the Litoral sur de Alicante.7
Nights offer little relief
Overnight temperatures inland are also predicted to remain especially hot, extending physical stress beyond daylight hours.1 Coastal residents describe conditions as suffocating, with humidity compounding the heat through the night.1 Social media posts from the region echoed that the situation had already persisted for several days across nearby areas.9
Health toll already mounting
Extreme heat has been linked to 98 deaths in Alicante province over just 20 days.4 Health authorities describe heat as a silent killer, with its impact often underreported in official figures.4 The combination of high overnight minimums and daytime extremes makes prolonged exposure particularly dangerous.
What to watch next
Thursday is the critical day to monitor, with Aemet's red alert in force for the southern coastal strip of Alicante and Valencia, where temperatures could surpass 42C.5 Yellow alerts were already active for the Alicante coast and interior on Wednesday, signalling that dangerous conditions are in place before the worst arrives.1 Anyone in affected areas should follow official guidance from Aemet and local authorities.
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