Just as we thought autumn might be upon us the weather once again tells us it has other ideas, with Aemet issuing orange warnings as the country is set to reach an unusually hot spell for September. AEMET has extended its orange warning through Friday, with up to 42C expected in the capital and the Vega and Alto Guadalquivir areas. 

The worst of the heat will be felt in inland southern Spain where temperatures will reach between to 42C – 43C while other parts of the country are also expected to see temperatures well above normal.

Córdoba remains under orange warning

Friday will be slightly cooler than Thursday in Córdoba, when temperatures are forecast to reach 43C, but the drop will offer little relief. The rest of Córdoba province will remain under a yellow warning for high temperatures.

AEMET expects the heat to continue beyond Friday, with temperatures in the capital remaining above 40C into the beginning of next week. In neighbouring Sevilla, the Campiña Sevillana will also be under an orange warning on Friday. The maximum is expected to reach 41C between 1pm and 9pm. 

40C temperatures spread across Spain

Friday is expected to bring temperatures of 40C or higher to a much wider area than the zones under the highest warning level. Badajoz, Cáceres, Córdoba, Sevilla, Granada, Jaén, Zaragoza, Lleida, Logroño and Toledo are among the cities where temperatures are expected to approach or exceed 40C. 

AEMET’s wider forecast shows temperatures of more than 34C across large parts of the peninsula, while Mallorca could reach above 35C.  The agency’s forecast also points to very warm nights in parts of southern Spain, the Mediterranean coast, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands, with minimum temperatures remaining around 25C in some locations. 

Heat continues into the weekend

The current episode is being driven by a very warm air mass affecting the peninsula and Balearic Islands. Spain’s Civil Protection authorities, using AEMET forecasts, said the episode was expected to continue at least until Friday, with 40C to 42C possible in valleys across the southern half of the country.  The high temperatures are also expected to push the fire danger back towards extreme levels, with dry afternoon storms possible in some areas. 

Although Friday marks the peak or near-peak of the current episode in many areas, the heat will not disappear immediately. AEMET forecasts temperatures remaining unusually high into the weekend, although some parts of the country are expected to begin seeing a gradual fall. 

The heat arrives only days after the start of meteorological autumn on September 1. Thursday is expected to be hotter in several areas, with 43C forecast in Córdoba and Sevilla, but Friday will bring little relief. Further north, conditions will be more moderate, with some Atlantic coastal areas remaining in the mid-20s.  The contrast will be especially noticeable in northern coastal areas, where temperatures will stay well below the levels forecast inland. 

If you have bought a natural weight-loss aid in Spain in recent months, it could be worth checking what you have been taking. Twenty-two slimming products have been found to contain an undeclared drug linked to serious cardiovascular problems. The products contain sibutramine, an appetite-suppressing drug previously used in prescription medicines for obesity.

Its use in the European Union was suspended because of serious cardiovascular side effects, yet the substance was not listed on the products’ labels.  Spain’s medicines regulator, the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices (AEMPS), has ordered the sale of all 22 products to be prohibited and every example removed from the market. 

Check your slimming products

The affected weight loss products are the following:

• Slim U,
• Slim U Pro
• P57 Hoodia
• Bikini Siluet Perfect
• Slim 24
• 14 Día
• Fatzorb
• AB Slim
• Get Lean
• Slimina
• Burn and Slim
• Body Slim and Black Panther.

The list also includes Aphrodite Thermoslim Coffe, Aphrodite Plus, Aphrodite LipoDetox, Aphrodite Green Plus, Aphrodite Forte Plus, Aphrodite Forte, Li Da Ultra, Pineapple Slimming Peptide and Pezo Mega.  Laboratory tests carried out by the AEMPS Official Laboratory for Medicines Control found sibutramine in all 22 products. The products were presented as natural slimming products, but the ingredient responsible for the health concerns was not declared on their packaging.

The drug was hidden inside

Sibutramine suppresses appetite and produces a feeling of fullness, while also increasing energy expenditure. It can also increase heart rate and blood pressure. AEMPS says cases of arrhythmias, ischaemic heart disease and serious cerebrovascular events have been recorded in connection with its use. Other reported adverse effects include dry mouth, headaches, insomnia and constipation.  The substance can also interact with a number of other medicines.

Sibutramine was previously used in prescription medicines for the treatment of obesity. Its marketing in the European Union was suspended after its use was associated with serious cardiovascular adverse effects.  That means someone buying one of these products as a slimming supplement could have been taking an active drug without knowing it was there.

Seven contain another substance

Seven of the products contain a second undeclared ingredient: phenolphthalein, they are Fatzorb, AB Slim, Get Lean, Slimina, Burn and Slim, Body Slim and Black Panther. Phenolphthalein is a stimulant laxative. It increases intestinal movement and reduces the absorption of water and electrolytes.

AEMPS warns that excessive exposure can lead to loss of fluids and electrolytes, intestinal protein loss, low calcium levels and malabsorption caused by excessive intestinal activity.  The presence of phenolphthalein also means these seven products legally have the status of medicines, despite never having been assessed or authorised by AEMPS, neither of the two substances was declared on the products’ labels.

How the products were found

The case came to the attention of the authorities through the Consumer Affairs, Environment and Doping Section of the General Commissariat of Judicial Police, as part of Operation Triki.

The products were subsequently analysed by the AEMPS laboratory, which confirmed their composition. The agency has classified the products as illegal medicines and ordered their sale to be prohibited and all examples withdrawn from the market. 

What to do if you have one

If you have bought or are taking any of the products listed above, check the name against the AEMPS warning and do not continue taking them. Anyone who is concerned about having taken one of the products should speak to a healthcare professional, particularly if they have experienced symptoms listed above or are taking other medicines along with them.

AEMPS published the withdrawal notice on Wednesday, September 2, with images of all 22 products to help consumers identify them

You could be breeding potentially dangerous mosquitoes in your own garden without even realising it.

A dog’s water bowl, a child’s toy, a forgotten bucket or even a flowerpot containing a tiny amount of stagnant water can provide exactly what the Asian Tiger mosquito needs to reproduce.

The Asian Tiger mosquito is smaller than most mosquitoes and has a very distinctive white band across its back. Officially known as Aedes albopictus, it has for some years been setting up home in our international community on the Costa del Sol.

This is not good as a bite from one of these mosquitoes can leave more than a red bump and itchy skin. Originally from Southeast Asia, the females can potentially transmit serious diseases including dengue, Zika and Chikungunya.

The problem is taken seriously. In 2026 the Junta de Andalucía has strengthened its surveillance of the Asian Tiger mosquito, including monitoring for these diseases.

The first and most important rule is to ensure there is no still or stagnant water available for them to lay their eggs.

This includes baby pools, flowerpots, birdbaths, dog water bowls, bottles, buckets, vases, toys, rubbish bins and even tyres.  Swimming pools, particularly half-empty pools, wells, cisterns and other water containers should be covered and drains and gutters checked.

Dog water bowls should be changed and cleaned frequently and children’s toys checked to keep everything fresh or dry.

Most bites will simply be another itchy red bump, but if you develop headaches, fever, abnormal swelling or nausea, please do visit a doctor.

The Government is taking this issue seriously; so should we.  Keeping stagnant water to a minimum is something we can all do to help keep this potentially dangerous invader at bay.