The Malta Independent 26 June 2025, Thursday
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Record temperatures: Spain and Portugal bake in May heat wave

Associated Press Friday, 15 May 2015, 14:48 Last update: about 11 years ago

Spain and Portugal — known for their sunny skies — are seeing record high temperatures for May, with thermometers hitting levels normally only seen in midsummer.

Spain's meteorological agency says the eastern town of Xativa recorded 42.9 degrees Celsius (109.2 Fahrenheit) on Thursday, breaking a 2006 record of 40.1 degrees Celsius (104.2 Fahrenheit) at Cordoba Airport.

Portugal also set a May record, with the southern city of Beja sizzling Wednesday in 40 degrees Celsius heat. Portugal's previous May high was 39.5 degrees Celsius (103.1 Fahrenheit) in 2011.

The stifling heat stretched across to Spain's Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, where temperatures of 42.4 degrees Celsius (108.3 Fahrenheit) were recorded Wednesday at Lanzarote Airport.

The town of Pego in Spain's eastern Alicante region was also fighting a wildfire Friday.

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