The Dana leaves Spain and Aemet warns: stifling heat returns from today and temperatures will reach 44ºC in these areas.

The stormy period that Spain has experienced for the past few days is coming to an end. This Wednesday, the isolated upper-level low ( DANA) that has been hovering over the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula for days will finally move toward the Cantabrian Sea. The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has acknowledged some uncertainty about the exact point at which the cold core will exit the sea. However, in the last few hours, it has confirmed that its withdrawal is already underway.

Even though the storm is about to leave our country, the first half of the day will continue to be marked by thunderstorms and very strong wind gusts, so umbrellas will need to remain open, especially in much of the northern third. Starting at midday, the electrical activity will begin to subside, although afternoon showers are not ruled out in both the western Pyrenees and the westernmost stretch of the Cantabrian coast. Galicia will remain overcast for much of the day, and in the rest of the country, the clouds will tend to part, gradually giving way to the sun.

One of the main effects of the Dana storm is the drop in temperature that Spain will experience in the coming hours. However, the drop in temperatures will not be uniform: the Empordà region, the Costa del Sol, the western edge of the plateau, and the southeastern Iberian Peninsula will avoid the cooling anomaly and will even see slight increases.

Despite the respite, temperatures will remain high in some areas. This Wednesday, temperatures will exceed 34-36°C in the Balearic Islands, the Malaga coast, and the southeastern and northeastern valleys. At night, minimum temperatures will drop across the peninsula.

Despite this, the Aemet (Mexico City Meteorological Agency) maintains some alerts, especially in the northern part of the peninsula. Although the storm is expected to leave the peninsula throughout the day, storms will be the main focus in some areas under yellow alert, such as Asturias, Cantabria, northern Castile and León, and parts of the Basque Country.

Likewise, the Aemet maintains some high temperature alerts in virtually all of Catalonia, some areas of the Valencian Community, Vega del Segura, Sol and Guadalhorce, and the Balearic Islands.

And the weekend?

Despite the widespread drop in temperatures, it appears the thermal relief will be short-lived. Starting Thursday, a much warmer air mass will sweep through the southwest and expand toward the center and north. The rise will be gradual and accelerate on Friday, leaving a weekend of very intense heat across much of the country. Madrid will be around 38°C, Zaragoza will reach 39°C , and the inland valleys of Extremadura and Castilla-La Mancha will reach nearly 40°C.

The heat will once again be on Andalusia, which will bear the brunt. Aemet forecasts indicate temperatures will exceed 40°C in the Guadalquivir Valley and temperatures in Córdoba will reach nearly 42°C. The peak temperature will reach Seville on Sunday, when the city could reach 44°C. And everything indicates that the beginning of next week will also be marked by high temperatures.