Spain experienced its warmest January on record since measurements began in 1961, according to the national meteorological agency, Aemet.
Rubén del Campo, Aemet’s spokesperson, revealed this record-breaking news on social network X (formerly Twitter).
The average temperature in mainland Spain last month was 8.4 degrees Celsius; a significant 2.4 degrees above the usual average, and 0.4° higher than the previous record set in January 2016, clarified Aemet.
Spain witnessed temperatures nearing 30° during the tail-end of January. This summer-like heatwave was referred to as an "anomaly" by Aemet.
Temperatures soared to 29.5° in the Valencia region during the last week of the month. Almost half of the country’s 400 weather stations observed temperatures reaching or exceeding 20 degrees.
While January was generally a rain-filled month, the distribution of rainfall was uneven, said Del Campo. The areas in most need of rainfall unfortunately received the least amount.
Barcelona and its outskirts declared an "emergency" drought zone last week. New water consumption limits have been established for nearly six million inhabitants, with particularly stringent restrictions for industry and agriculture.
Despite being a country accustomed to high temperatures, Spain faces an increasing frequency of heatwaves, sometimes even outside the summer months, a factor stirring significant concern among scientists.
