Yep, right now it is 7:45pm in Madrid and the temps are currently at an unforgiving 97º!

UGH!!!

Chica and MM: Neither of you are generating a lot of sympathy on the heat. Here in Phoenix, Arizona it is in the low 100sF and will be so until at least early October. Today was 106F, lucky us, it is supposed to storm and rain tonight which means the humidity will come up.

I remember playing tennis on some of the hot weather in Spain. I was much younger then. I remember salt deposits forming down my sideburns. Sure don't think I'd enjoy that heat any more though. It's been in the mid 90's here in Michigan, although the humidity has been uncharacteristically low, in the 80%, and still it's been miserable.

The whole world has been having a hot summer this year. Here in Sacramento, CA it's been in the low 100's too...luckily low humidity. My friend in Seattle says it has even been hot there. Here it's even to hot to swim..the pool water is too warm and doesn't feel refreshing
Stay cool everyone!
Angela

One thing I noticed was that it was soooo extremely hot everywhere I went, but it wasn't humid. I started out in Madrid and yes it was very hot but not unbearable and this was in late June. I traveled further south to Cadiz and there it was so hot I couldn't walk on the sand but it would've been way worse if it was humid...sometimes here it is worse even if it's just 80 degrees but with high humidity.

Ahem, not here in the UK! In fact it's felt quite cool the last couple of weeks here with the temperature at night going down to 6/7 C. Still it's forecast to get warmer this week...

Spain in August in non-beach areas A quick wrap up. First I was raised in places where summer starts in April and spring is a two week wonder. Now I live in the Snowbelt. People raised in the American South, Southwest, Southern California esp south of LA know this weather as do people in San Fernando Valley Madrid--- OK tolerable The Tryp Atocha was near a subway stop and near the Paseo del Prado and Atocha station. We both found the weather tolerable though definitely warm. One night at the Pl. Santa Ana it was packed and a bit muggy... until the beers arrived. We packed water. I bought a fan. Nightime somewhat pleasant. Otherwise nothing special was needed.

Cordoba---surprisingly tolerable. The Mequita is a bit stuffy in late afternoon. Hot. The little twisty streets often had breezes (yes!) Nightime was fairly nice Walked everywhere

Granada----Ok, now we're starting to heat up. Although Alhambra palace area was tolerable the Alcazar and Generalife required hat time. Water now more important. Exposed parts of the gardens were not great. Highly recommend :nightime viewing of Alhambra: it is cooler and much less crowded. Albaycin OK We even walked back down the hill after 9:30 pm.

Sevilla---I expected New Orleans in August. Instead it was more like Arizona. Burning heat:respect it or else! It is doable but all procedures for tough heat must be followed.

Water crucial. Shadows crucial.We would walk half a block out of our way to stay on the shadowed side of the street. Pace really slows down to a ramble whether you wish to or not. You will slow down.

Saw people in 17-20 yrs old range just collapsed on steps, benches,etc. Either they closed the tapas bars [ entirely possible, it's fun,no?] or they overjudged their ability to keep brisk pace. Locals of any age aren't exactly dashing about either. Nightime still hot but you don't burn. The very nice señora who ran the Hotel Amadeus warned us that Barcelona was muggy and that the day after we were to leave the temp was going down 4 degrees (promises, promises)

Barcelona: muggy but quite tolerable. After first day downright comfortable especially after 3 days in Sevilla. Not much hat time. Breezy at Barceloneta.

The Metro trains are often air conditioned but the stations are not. I packed a fan for the stations

CONCLUSIONS; It can be done, don't know about people who don't live in heat. Some things that help:

Keep drinking water,especially in Sevilla Avoid those "fry pan" plazas. You know, the ones with lovely old buildings and NOT ONE tree or archway there to ward off the rays. Walk around them not across them. Sleeveless tops work but beware the burn, esepcially if you have: lt. hair, lt. eyes, and lt. skin Stick religiously to the shady side of streets. Andalú sun can really do a number on you. I saw a lot of burned skin, particularly in Sevilla, even on some brunettes. Black Irish types take note; you can burn. Flimsy tops do absolutely nothing to keep you from burning either. Either lotion or those new light 30 pdf materials. Ditto shorts and minis Noted burned calves too (standing in lines) had a wonderful time everywhere.

I see that rain is forecast in Madrid this week. Can anyone there confirm that it's started to rain - It sure is needed..

filbert, thanks for asking!! I, personally, can confirm it has started raining in Madrid. Yesterday they had some kind of record rainfall for some period of time. I had evidence of a soaked shoulder and arm from being only half under the umbrella. Wow, at about 8pm it was raining cats and dogs!! It sprinkled only a little this morning and that was it. But they say it should rain tomorrow (Wednesday) and Thursday 'til the afternoon and then should clear out with cool-ish temperatures. It has been so pleasantly cool for me these days here in Madrid. In fact, two days this week I´ve taken a wonderful siesta after a home-cooked lunch on a 6th-floor terraza with a skyline view overlooking the dome of the San Sanfrisco Church, El Faro de Moncloa, and even the Royal Palace. Yesterday it was cloudly but I slept for about 30 minutes before it started raining on me. Today was the same but no rain, only clouds.

Saludos, MadridMan