ANDALUCIA is bracing for a spell of intense heat and thunderstorms today and tomorrow, with the Spanish weather agency AEMET issuing an orange alert across parts of the region.

The warning, the second-highest level in Spain’s weather alert system, signals the danger from soaring temperatures and stormy conditions, effective from Tuesday through Wednesday, June 18.

Maps released by AEMET_Andalucía late yesterday show several areas highlighted in orange, indicating the most severe warnings.

These include parts of the interior provinces such as Jaen, Cordoba, and Seville, where the heat is expected to peak around 40C, alongside northern regions like Granada and potentially parts of Malaga’s higher ground.

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Yellow alerts, suggesting a lower but still notable risk, extend to coastal zones and other inland areas, covering much of the region’s diverse landscape from the Sierra Nevada to the Guadalquivir Valley.

Cloud may develop in inland regions in the afternoon, bringing with it with scattered showers and thunderstorms.

Away from Andalucia, the highest temperatures of 35-37C will be in Aragon, La Mancha, inland Valencia, and Murcia, as well as in mountainous areas, with hail and wind. Very hot.

The orange alert comes as an unusual shift for mid-June, a time when Andalucia typically enjoys warm, sunny weather typical of its Mediterranean climate.

However, with temperatures forecast to climb and thunderstorms brewing, residents and visitors are advised to stay informed.

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For those planning outdoor activities or travel, the combination of extreme heat and potential storms could disrupt plans, particularly in the affected inland areas where the alert is most pronounced.

AEMET’s warnings are updated regularly, and with the alert active as of this morning, locals and expatriates alike are keeping a close eye on the skies.

THOSE calling the Costa del Sol home are some of the biggest producers of waste in all of Andalucia.

Alongside residents of Gibraltar, Costa del Sol residents are throwing away more than 575 kgs of waste per capita each year.

Mijas, Fuengirola and Marbella are the worst culprits, producing more than 730 kgs of waste. 

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Following close behind are Torremolinos , Manilva , Casares , Benahavís , Estepona , Istán and Benalmádena, which all produce more than 700 kgs of waste per capita annually. 

This information is sourced from Andalucia’s Institute of Statistics and Cartography from 2022. Overall, the amount of urban waste produced in Andalusia has a whole decreased by 14.8 kgs compared to 2021.

Malaga province had been decreasing in terms of waste it produced each year, but actually increased again between 2021 and 2022.

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