Gib avoids heatwave, but temperatures set to rise next week

A long spell of easterly winds and levanter has seen Gibraltar avoid the heatwave affecting Western Europe, according to MeteoGib.

“Earlier this week saw the heatwave extend North into France and the UK, bringing the UK a short burst of exceptional heat and sending records tumbling with the first 40C recorded, and hottest spot reaching 40.3C in Coningsby, Lincolnshire,” Stephanie Ball, Chief Meteorologist at MeteoGib, said.

“Meanwhile, here on the Rock, a long spell of Easterly winds/ Levanter meant that we escaped the heatwave affecting Western Europe, although a brief break to a Westerly flow on Tuesday did bring us our hottest day of the year so far reaching 30.7C.”

According to Ms Ball long spells of Levanter are not unusual for summer and while temperatures over inland Spain have soared into the 40Cs, temperatures in Gibraltar have been mostly pegged back to 26 to 28C due to the flow off the Alboran.

“While Levanter made a return [on Wednesday], the current forecast shows that winds may switch Westerly early next week bringing warmer temperatures and which could nudge above 30C again,” she added.