Spain issues orange thunderstorm alerts in the north as extreme heat persists in the south

Spain is facing a sharply divided weather pattern on Sunday, with orange thunderstorm warnings in parts of the north and extreme heat persisting in the south under active AEMET alerts.

According to Cadena SER's AEMET-based reporting, warnings are active across 11 autonomous communities. Navarra and La Rioja are under orange alerts for strong thunderstorms, while heavy rain, hail and lightning are possible in the north and east of the peninsula.

The same report says the south remains under intense heat, with temperatures around 40C in the Guadalquivir valley. It also warns of tropical nights in parts of the south, where minimum temperatures may not fall below 20C.

A day of contrasts

The setup marks a clear shift from the broader late-June heat episode that has affected Spain this month. Earlier coverage on June 21 described a heatwave with temperatures reaching up to 42C and warnings in 14 communities.

On June 27, Cadena SER reported that heat alerts were already active in six communities, while storm risk was building in northern areas including Navarra and the Pyrenees. Sunday’s forecast sharpens that split, with storms now more prominent in the north and lingering heat in the south.

AEMET's alert picture reflects a trough moving across the peninsula from west to east, according to the reporting. That pattern is expected to keep the atmosphere unstable enough for locally severe storms in the north and east.

Where the main risks sit

The northern and eastern side of the peninsula faces the greatest storm risk, with the potential for torrential rain, hail, and lightning. In a fast-moving setup like this, the main concern is that the strongest cells could trigger local flooding or interrupt travel across exposed areas.

Navarra and La Rioja are the most clearly named areas under orange thunderstorm warnings in the reporting. Those alerts signal a higher degree of caution than the lower-level warnings also being used elsewhere in the country.

By contrast, the south is dealing with prolonged heat stress rather than storms. The reporting points to temperatures near 40C in the Guadalquivir valley, along with warm nights that may offer little relief after sunset.

Broader context and next steps

The Canary Islands are seeing a more stable pattern by comparison, with light rain in the north and strong winds, according to the same report.

The current picture is forecast-driven and can change through the day as AEMET updates its warnings. The next key checkpoint is whether alerts are upgraded, extended, or canceled, and whether the storms produce verified impacts such as flooding, outages, or injuries.

For now, the key public safety message is that Spain is split between two weather hazards at once: severe thunderstorm risk in the north and east, and heat stress in the south. Both can change quickly, but together they make this one of the most contrast-heavy weather days of the season so far.