News

SUMMER 2008 will be cooler than usual with occasional heavy storms in July and August, says a long-term forecast released this week by the Centro de Estudios Ambientales del Mediterráneo (Ceam).

Summer has started and the hotel and service sectors are waiting with arms wide open to welcome visitors, but the worry now is that the threat of bad weather may deter many of them.

Experts say that the high season will be marked by cool and humid weather and short periods of intense sunshine.

They added that extreme weather changes are not predicted but there will times when temperatures soar, especially over the next two weeks.

Ceam head María José Estrella said that very hot weather will arrive in July but only for short periods and by August temperatures will drop and inland areas will experience storms.

September will be warm with the possibility of winds that push temperatures up.

HEAT PLAN

The regional health authority has initiated its programme warning residents of the danger of too much exposure to the sun.

Around 12,000 posters will be put up and 175,000 information leaflets distributed to warn target groups such as the elderly, people with serious illnesses, children, sportsmen and those with mobility problems to ensure they drink enough of the right fluids and stay out of direct sunlight as much as possible.

Over the last two years three construction workers, a sportsman and a 74-year-old man have been admitted to hospital suffering from heat stroke in the province.

Parents are also warned not to expose their children to the sun between midday and 16.00.

COSTA BLANCA NEWS.