Spain suffers hottest July on record

The Spanish Meteorological Agency AEMET confirmed on Thursday that Spain experienced the hottest July since records began using the current system in 1980.

AEMET's data probably comes as no surprise to the majority of Spaniards, who have sweltered through average combined day and night temperatures of 26.5 degrees centigrade, which is around 2.5 centigrade above the average.

Last July's figures beats the previous hottest July, which was experienced in 2003, when the average temperature was 26.2 C and AEMET describes the month as "extremely hot."

The data shows that daytime temperatures were on average 2.8C above the norm, while July's night temperatures were 2.2C higher than average, making it difficult for many to enjoy a good night's sleep.

AEMET show that July actually saw Spain suffer from three distinct heatwaves with the highest temperatures experienced at the start of the month as Cordoba suffered 45.2C heat on July 6, while Zaragoza had to withstand temperatures of 44.5C on July 7, the same day the mercury reached 43C in the south-eastern city of Murcia as the south-east, center and the south of Spain suffered the highest temperatures.

The only "good" news is that the month saw an "average" level of rainfall, but it does look as if there will be no relief for Spaniards hoping for a return of cooler weather in the near future as the agency predicts there is a 60 percent chance that the period between August and October will also be warmer than average.