Valencian comarca logs 43.7C peak as AEMET warns of another heat episode next week

Vall d'Albaida is getting a brief respite after an exceptional heat episode that pushed temperatures to dangerous levels across the Valencian comarca and left little overnight relief.

Cadena SER Radio Ontinyent reported that the Ontinyent station reached 43.7C during the spell, while parts of Vall d'Albaida topped 44C at the peak.

AEMET local climatology chief José Ángel Núñez described the episode as exceptional for both intensity and duration. He also said the nights were unusually warm, limiting any real recovery between the hottest days.

How the episode unfolded

The heat episode developed over several days in early July. By July 7, municipalities in the comarca had already activated response measures to deal with the high temperatures.

Those local steps included extra prevention work and refuges climàtics for residents. The measures reflected concern for people who are more exposed when heat lasts for days and nights on end.

By July 9, local reporting said the area was finally seeing a slight easing. Even so, officials and forecasters were warning that the break could be short-lived.

Why the warning matters

The biggest concern is not only the daytime heat but the lack of cooling overnight. Hot nights make it harder for the body to recover and raise the health risk for older adults, children, outdoor workers and people with chronic conditions.

That matters in inland Valencia, where prolonged heat can also strain local services and increase wildfire risk during and after the hottest stretch.

The episode came as Spain as a whole was ending its second heat wave of the summer. In national reporting, AEMET was already looking toward another rise in temperatures the following week.

What forecasters are watching

The key open question is whether the next warm-up becomes another official heat wave or only a renewed hot spell. AEMET has warned of another extreme episode next week, but the exact classification will depend on how the forecast evolves.

The broader weather context is also unfavorable. El País reported on July 10 that the Mediterranean, especially the Balearic Sea, is exceptionally warm, a factor that can reinforce hot nights along Spain's eastern coast.

For now, Vall d'Albaida has only a short pause from the recent extreme heat. Local authorities and forecasters are expected to keep watching temperatures closely in case the respite gives way to another round of severe heat.