Madrid will experience a weekend of intense heat with up to 39 degrees

Saturday will be the toughest day. Aemet is maintaining an orange warning for maximum temperatures in the Metropolitana y Henares area between 13:00 and 21:00, with a forecast threshold of 39 degrees. It will be an especially demanding afternoon for those taking part in outdoor activities, working in the street or needing to travel through the centre.

In the capital, Saturday is expected to bring a minimum of around 23 degrees and a maximum close to 39. The sky will be clear and there will be hardly any relief from the wind, so the heat will be felt strongly on avenues, in squares without shade, at bus stops and in areas with large crowds.

Sunday will retain a very similar feel. The forecast points to another sunny day, with a minimum of around 24 degrees and a maximum of 39. Aemet forecasts a yellow warning between 13:00 and 21:00 in Metropolitana y Henares, with the possibility of reaching orange level in areas of the Henares corridor, the south of Jarama and Vega de Aranjuez.

The heat also arrives during a weekend of intense activity in Madrid. The main Pride events, Saturday’s demonstration, concerts, terraces and cultural plans will multiply journeys through the centre, precisely during the hours when the temperature will be highest.

For those travelling around the city, the recommendation will be to bring errands and journeys forward to early morning or leave them until the end of the day. Between 13:00 and 21:00, walking long distances, waiting in the sun or staying in very crowded spaces may be especially hard.

The nights will not be cool either. With minimum temperatures above 23 degrees, many neighbourhoods will struggle to cool down after sunset. This lack of night-time recovery increases fatigue and especially affects older people, young children, people with chronic illnesses and those living in poorly ventilated homes.

Public transport will be a more advisable option than the car, especially in the centre, where there will be restrictions due to events and greater pressure on mobility. Even so, it is advisable to allow for waits at stations, interchanges and stops, and to carry water if the journey includes walking sections.

Parks, swimming pools and air-conditioned spaces will take centre stage during the weekend. The key will be choosing the right times: the first hours of the day will be the most bearable for walking, exercising or going out with children, while the afternoon will be reserved almost compulsorily for shade, water and rest.

The risk lies not only in the maximum temperature. Asphalt, radiation, the lack of wind and crowds can raise the perceived temperature at particular points in the city. In areas such as Gran Vía, Sol, Recoletos, Colón or Atocha, the heat will combine with a large public presence.

Madrid will therefore experience a summer weekend in its harshest form: stable, sunny and very hot. There will be hardly any weather uncertainty, but there is a clear warning to plan the day sensibly.

The city will remain full of plans, but the weather will force people to change how they enjoy them. This Saturday and Sunday, choosing shade, staying hydrated and avoiding the middle hours of the day will not be a standard recommendation, but a practical condition for getting through the weekend without the heat taking over everything.