The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has issued a red alert for the Valencian Community, warning that temperatures could reach 42°C. The region also faces sudden wind gusts and dry storms, with thermal bursts adding to the risk. Authorities are monitoring conditions linked to the rare phenomenon known as a “reventón térmico,” or heat burst.
AEMET’s national system for forecasting and monitoring adverse weather, Meteoalerta, issues warnings for up to 72 hours and continues monitoring once hazardous conditions begin. A warning describes forecast risks, not a measured temperature. AEMET publishes hourly observations, while its stations record daily extremes and accumulated readings at locations including València and Valencia Airport.
A downburst is a powerful descending air current associated with a storm. When precipitation falls through a warmer, drier layer near the ground, some of it can evaporate and cool the surrounding air. That cooler, denser air can accelerate downward and spread out when it reaches the surface, producing damaging winds. In a dry downburst, precipitation evaporates before reaching the ground; a wet downburst carries precipitation to the surface. Unlike a tornado, a downburst does not involve rotating winds.
A heat burst is a related but distinct event, marked by a sudden rise in temperature and a drop in humidity, often as a storm weakens. Descending air can warm as compression increases closer to the ground, while evaporative cooling higher in the air column may contribute to the downward flow. Together, these processes can trigger abrupt changes in temperature and wind, making conditions hazardous for people outdoors.
Extreme heat and sudden wind shifts can put health and infrastructure at risk, as well as disrupt transport. Valencia’s alert comes amid wider concern over extreme weather at major events, including the Tour de France, where organizers have adjusted stages and used cooling measures during intense heat. For more on how sport has responded to high temperatures, see how Tour de France teams have responded to unprecedented heat conditions.
Because downbursts can develop quickly, forecasts and local weather observations both matter during storm activity. AEMET’s warning system tracks adverse conditions, while its station network records actual weather measurements. Extreme heat and dry storms, combined with abrupt gusts, can make conditions change rapidly across the Valencian Community.
