Four Murcia towns among the hottest places in Spain

Molina de Segura recorded Spain's second-highest temperature as four Murcia municipalities featured in the national top ten

If Tuesday felt unbearably hot, the latest figures show it wasn't just your imagination. Four municipalities in the Region of Murcia ranked among the hottest places in Spain, with temperatures climbing above 40°C across much of the inland area.

Molina de Segura recorded the highest temperature in the Region, reaching 41.6°C.  And that was in fact the second-highest temperature anywhere in Spain on Tuesday, beaten only by La Aldea de San Nicolás in Gran Canaria, where thermometers hit 42.6°C.

Archena and Cieza both reached 40.9°C, sharing the third-highest temperature in the country, while Murcia city wasn't far behind at 40.7°C. All four municipalities featured in Spain's top ten hottest locations for the day.

The figures, recorded by Spain's State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) up to 6.42pm, show just how intense the heat has become across the Region this week.

Murcia wasn't alone in sweltering conditions. Parts of the Canary Islands, the Valencian Community and neighbouring Alicante province also saw temperatures rise well above 39°C.

At the other end of the scale, it was a very different story in Spain's mountainous north. Puerto del Pico, in Ávila, recorded the country's lowest minimum temperature at just 7.8°C, followed by La Covatilla in Salamanca with 8.3°C and Sanabria in Zamora with 8.5°C, which probably sounds pretty appealing right about now!

With more hot weather expected, it's worth taking extra care during the hottest part of the day. Drinking plenty of water, keeping homes as cool as possible and checking in on elderly relatives and neighbours can all help reduce the risks that come with prolonged high temperatures.

Image: Archive