heat waves are changing the behavior of tourists in Spainbut we cannot forget the people who live 365 days a year in tourist cities. Those who travel there can avoid doing so during the hottest times, but when it comes to your place of residence it is not so easy. Beach baths can be quick solutions to beat the heat. However, when this is too extreme, anything out of the water can be very dangerous. For this reason, the Alicante city council will close the beaches today starting at 5 p.m. due to the red alert declared in this third heat wave of the summer.
No beaches, no parks. This decision affects both to the beaches, as well as to the parks and gardens. And, in reality, it is not only due to the heat wave. In fact, if that were the only reason, perhaps the beach closure would have been set in the middle of the day, when temperatures are higher. It was done at 5 p.m., because from that time on it is expected that there will be thermal bursts, which would cause very strong gusts of wind, as well as sudden increases in temperature.
Revenge what? A thermal blowout is a phenomenon that silk due to the formation of precipitation that never reaches the ground, since on the descent it encounters a layer of very warm and dry air, which evaporates it. The evaporation process requires energy, which is extracted from the surrounding air, cooling it suddenly. The cold air tends to fall downwards, so a downdraft is formed, which will increasingly have a larger column of air above it. The weight of this compresses said current, so that it heats up suddenly, giving rise to increases of about 5ºC in a very few minutes. Sometimes they can even rise 15ºC.
On the other hand, when this current of hot air falls suddenly above the earth’s surface, it can no longer continue to descend, so it expands violently in all directions, like the stream of water from a tap that we suddenly turn on. The result is very intense winds, practically hurricane-force. It should be noted that layers of very hot and dry air that give rise to blowouts are more frequent during a heat wavewhich is why these phenomena are becoming more and more frequent.
Also terraces and nightstands. In Spain, the decision has already been made to prohibit the opening of terraces in bars during the hottest hours of the day during heat waves. For this reason, in Alicante, terraces and nightstands cannot be opened between 5 and 9 p.m. The Santa Bárbara castle will also be closed and attention will be paid to umbrellas, flower pots and any other object that could cause urban accidents due to the wind.
Be careful with the trees. Finally, the City Council has warned residents to avoid walking through wooded areas, to avoid possible accidents if a tree falls due to the wind.
Images | Zarateman
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