Granada Did Not Reach 50 Degrees A viral claim circulating on social media asserted that Granada, a city in southern Spain, reached 50°C during the peak of the third heatwave of the summer on July 22. However, the Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) clarified that no official records confirm Granada hit that temperature. According to AEMET, the city’s maximum temperatures during the heatwave ranged between 42°C and 44°C, with the highest recorded value at Granada-Aeropuerto reaching 43.9°C. The controversy arose after several posts on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook shared images of a thermometer displaying 50°C, suggesting the city experienced extreme heat. These messages claimed the heatwave reached its peak on July 22, exacerbated by Saharan dust. AEMET explained that such thermometers, if exposed directly to sunlight, can register temperatures higher than the actual air temperature. The agency emphasized that official measurements follow strict standards set by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which require thermometers to be placed in shaded, ventilated shelters on grassy ground to avoid surface heat distortion. AEMET also noted that Spain’s official record for the highest temperature is 47.6°C, recorded in La Rambla, Córdoba, on August 14, 2021. During the current heatwave, which spanned July 21–23, Granada’s temperatures remained within the 42–44°C range. The agency warned that unregulated thermometers, such as those found on sidewalks or in direct sunlight, can produce misleading readings, sometimes exceeding actual conditions by significant margins. Dr. Mar Gómez, a physicist and meteorologist at eltiempo.es, echoed these concerns.#world_meteorological_organization #aemet #granada #spanish_state_meteorological_agency #la_rambla
