Professor Jorge Olcina, head of Climatology at the University of Alicante, told Cadena SER on 23 July that the province’s current bout of extreme heat—daytime readings above 38 °C and tropical nights remaining above 25 °C—“is not an anomaly but the new climatic reality of Mediterranean Spain”. His comments came as the third heatwave of the summer reached its apex, prompting orange alerts across the Valencian Community. Spain’s Civil-Protection service used the occasion to repeat travel-safety advice: schedule road journeys for early morning or late evening, carry at least two litres of water per person, and check vehicle coolant before long drives. For business travellers, the warnings coincide with the annual “operación salida” weekend, when rental-car demand is highest and motorway rest areas become congested. Hotel chains in Benidorm and Elche report that international conference delegates are requesting meeting rooms with enhanced air-conditioning and flexible dress codes. Several multinational firms running graduate-assessment centres in Alicante this week moved candidate interviews to virtual platforms after candidates from northern Europe struggled with the heat. Olcina’s research indicates that heatwaves in south-eastern Spain now start earlier, last longer and push night-time humidity to uncomfortable levels—a combination that strains transport infrastructure and public-health services. He urges local authorities to redesign urban mobility plans, adding shaded bus stops and increasing evening public-transport frequencies so residents and tourists can shift activities away from midday. Mobility managers should note that Spain treats heat-related illness in the workplace, including during business travel, as an occupational accident. Companies may therefore be liable for medical costs if they fail to brief employees adequately or to adapt schedules when official alerts are in force.
Source: Cadena SER – Radio Alicante
