The Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Emergencies (DGPCyE) released an orange-level weather bulletin on 27 July forecasting the fourth heatwave of the year from Wednesday 29 July onward. With inland temperatures expected to exceed 45 °C and hot Saharan air pushing humidity below 12 %, the authority cautions that critical-temperature protocols may be triggered at several land and air border points. In practice this means that outdoor border-control booths at smaller regional airports could be closed during the hottest hours, causing passengers to be funnelled into fewer indoor channels and lengthening queues. At land crossings into Portugal and France, the Guardia Civil may implement rolling “heat stops” for commercial vehicles lacking adequate refrigeration or passenger air-conditioning. Madrid-Barajas and Seville already plan to redistribute some low-cost carrier arrivals to later evening slots, while Renfe is advising travellers on the Madrid–Barcelona high-speed line to carry extra water and to expect slower running speeds if track temperatures exceed safety thresholds. The DGPCyE also asked employers to limit non-essential business travel during the peak of the heatwave. For global-mobility teams the main impact is potential knock-on delays for visa-run day trips or onboarding appointments scheduled this Thursday and Friday. Residence-card fingerprint appointments at police stations in Córdoba and Murcia have been rescheduled to early-morning slots. Companies should confirm any relocation-related appointments directly with the relevant extranjería office. The bulletin includes an English-language annex outlining recommended precautions for visitors unfamiliar with Spain’s heat protocols, useful for international assignees and their families.
