Why summer heat in Mallorca differs by area

The breezes on the coast contribute to lower air temperatures during the day, but there is a factor which can in fact make it feel hotter on the coast - and that is the humidity.

The spokesperson for the Aemet met agency in the Balearics, Miquel Gili, explains that if there is 50% daytime humidity or more, an air temperature of, say, 35C translates into a heat sensation of 41C. The humidity factor is more pronounced at night and contributes to minimum air temperatures in excess of 20C, classified as a tropical night. By contrast, the humidity is much lower in interior municipalities like Porreres or Sineu, meaning that there may not be tropical nights when there are on the coast.

There is often reference to microclimates in Mallorca, and these exist because of wind and topography - features of the land surface. These are most obviously apparent in the Tramuntana Mountains. Gili says that when the wind blows from the south or west, it can push nighttime temperatures up dramatically. Weather station records for Banyalbufar and Soller prove the point - these can be for minimums of around 30C.

In the mountains, the municipalities considered to be the island's coldest - Escorca and Fornalutx - are where extreme heat events have most increased. A study by the Fundación Matrix indicates that these two municipalities experienced these events on six occasions between 1961 and 1990 and on 27 occasions between 1991 and 2020. The foundation's director, Javier Montalbo, says that Mallorca is becoming more of a tropical island and argues the need for enhanced health measures for population groups most at risk from heat.