From almost 29°C to just 15.5°C in only a few days: the sea off the coast of Málaga has recorded an extraordinary cold-weather record. While Spain is still experiencing the height of summer, the water off Málaga is suddenly colder than at numerous coastal locations in the north of the country. Experts explain what is behind this unusual phenomenon.
Spain Expat Press Editorial Team
by Marlon Gallego Bosbach
Anyone heading into the sea on the Costa del Sol these days could be in for an unpleasant surprise. The water off Málaga is currently exceptionally cold. On Friday morning, a temperature of just 15.5°C was recorded by a measuring buoy off Guadalmar. This broke the cold-water record that had only been set a few days earlier.
As recently as 18 August, the same measuring station recorded a sea temperature of 28.8°C. This was just 0.3°C below the previous August record of 29.1°C. In just around ten days, the situation has therefore completely reversed: from near-record heat to a historic cold-water record.
New Cold-Temperature Record for August
The 15.5°C recorded is the lowest temperature ever registered at this measuring station during the month of August since records began.The previous record had only been broken the previous Tuesday, when the buoy recorded 15.6°C. Before that, the lowest August temperature was 16.3°C, recorded on 3 August 2014.
The exceptional event has therefore intensified twice within just a few days. But there is another remarkable aspect to the latest readings: at the time of the measurement, the water off Málaga was colder than at the other monitoring stations along the Spanish coast included in the comparison.
Colder Than the Sea in Northern Spain
Normally, you would expect such a low temperature along the Atlantic coast or in the northern regions of Spain. However, the latest measurements paint a very different picture.
While just 15.5°C was recorded off Málaga, temperatures at numerous other monitoring stations were considerably higher. Off Valencia, temperatures exceeded 25°C, while the waters off Barcelona were around 26°C and those off Tarragona reached approximately 27°C.
Temperatures along Spain’s Atlantic coast were also significantly higher than those off Málaga. Almost 21°C was recorded off Cabo Silleiro, while Estaca de Bares also reached around 21°C, and temperatures of approximately 21°C were likewise recorded off Cabo de Peñas.
Remarkably, the normally warm Mediterranean waters off Málaga were therefore, for a time, the coldest seawater recorded anywhere in Spain.
How Can the Sea Be So Cold in the Middle of Summer?
The explanation is not that the entire Mediterranean has suddenly cooled by more than ten degrees. Instead, the phenomenon is known as upwelling. This occurs when warm water from the uppermost layer of the sea is displaced, allowing colder water from deeper layers to rise to the surface.
Wind conditions play a crucial role in this process. In particular, the persistent Poniente, or westerly wind, has created favourable conditions for upwelling in recent days. The wind can push warm surface water away from the coast, creating a deficit that is then replaced by colder water from deeper layers. For swimmers, it can feel as though someone has replaced the water overnight.
The Alboran Sea Has a Mind of Its Own
Málaga lies on the Alboran Sea, the westernmost part of the Mediterranean. The region is shaped by complex ocean currents, while the Strait of Gibraltar provides a constant exchange of water between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean.
According to physicist Manuel Vargas from the Spanish Institute of Oceanography in Málaga, the low temperatures may not be due solely to local upwelling off the coast. Cold water masses from the area around the Strait of Gibraltar could also be transported towards Málaga by ocean currents. The current wind and wave conditions may also be contributing to the phenomenon.
Waves Can Also Contribute to Cooling the Water
Another possible explanation is the intense mixing of the sea. Wind and waves stir the water, spreading the heat that had accumulated in a relatively thin layer at the surface during the hot days throughout a greater volume of water.
As a result, temperatures at the surface can drop significantly, while the water in deeper layers may warm up at the same time. Experts refer to this process as the mixing of the water column.
An Incredible Difference of More Than 13 Degrees
Just how extraordinary the current situation is becomes clear when looking at the measurements from the past few days. On 18 August, the temperature stood at 28.8°C, while by 28 August it had fallen to just 15.5°C. That represents a difference of 13.3°C.
Such a rapid change in sea temperature over such a short period is highly unusual. The sea normally responds to temperature changes much more slowly than the atmosphere. That is precisely why the event is attracting so much attention.
The Sea Was Still Extremely Warm Just Days Ago
What makes the timing particularly remarkable is that, just days before the sudden cold spell, the sea off Málaga was virtually on course to set a new record. The 28.8°C recorded on 18 August was just 0.3°C below the previous August high of 29.1°C, recorded in 2015. The water had therefore been exceptionally warm before the dramatic drop in temperature.
Then came the dramatic turnaround: from one of the highest temperatures ever recorded to one of the lowest.
The Marine Heatwave Has Not Gone Away
However, the new cold-water record does not mean that the exceptional warming of the sea off Málaga has suddenly come to an end. Quite the opposite: the waters of the Alboran Sea have remained exceptionally warm for extended periods this summer. At times, average temperatures were several degrees above the usual levels.
The current cold spell is therefore primarily a short-term, local phenomenon. The sea can remain exceptionally warm overall while cold water is temporarily present at the surface at the same time. The reason is simple: measurements are taken at the surface, where the water mass present at any given time can change rapidly due to wind and ocean currents.
Will This Affect the Weather?
The low sea temperature is not expected to have any dramatic impact on the weather in Málaga for the time being. According to AEMET, the cold water could, under certain conditions, favour the formation of fog or low-lying clouds. However, additional factors would be needed for it to trigger a significant weather event.
A combination with very cold air at high altitude would be particularly significant, for example in connection with a DANA weather system. However, such a scenario is not currently expected.
The Cold Water Could Soon Disappear Again
And the record-breaking cold spell may already be coming to an end. The latest developments suggest that sea temperatures could soon begin to rise again. After reaching the record low of 15.6°C, the water had already started to warm up. The following day, the monitoring station recorded 17.3°C, with a further increase in temperature expected over the days that followed.
Meteorologists also expect sea temperatures to rise significantly again by the beginning of September. According to forecasts, temperatures could once again climb above 21–22°C.
For Swimmers, It Could Be a Chilly Surprise
Anyone spending a beach holiday on the Costa del Sol at the end of August would normally expect warm Mediterranean waters. However, the latest measurements show that the sea off Málaga is currently anything but warm. At 15.5°C, the water is exceptionally cold for August, and likely to come as a shock to many swimmers.
However, the temperature is not uniform across all of Málaga’s beaches. The measuring buoy records conditions at a specific location and at a specific point in time. Temperatures can therefore vary depending on the beach, water depth, currents and wind conditions.
Málaga Experiences an Extraordinary Marine Phenomenon
The current temperature drop is a striking example of just how dynamic the Alboran Sea can be. Within just a few days, the situation went from 28.8°C and a near-record high to 15.5°C and a new August cold-water record. That represents a difference of 13.3°C.
While the sea continues to be characterised by exceptionally high temperatures in the long term, cold water from deeper layers has temporarily reached the surface off Málaga. In the coming days, one question is likely to remain at the forefront: How quickly will the warm Mediterranean waters return to the Costa del Sol?
