Despite it being October the beaches of Orihuela and Torrevieja are filled with people sunbathing and swimming as if it was the middle of summer. Not only does the heat encourage people to take a dip on a date that was unthinkable a few years ago, but the water temperature is similar to that of June or September. This, according to the experts, is situation that should not occur, with the sea being two degrees higher than usual, at around 25 degrees.
In the tourist capital of Benidorm weekly analysis carried out by the Benidorm Municipal Laboratory corroborate that temperatures have varied from those in recent years. According to the statistics in the last ten years, the water has almost always maintained the same temperature in the month of October. In 2013, the average for that month was 23.5 degrees, a figure that was repeated in 2014. In 2015 it stood at an average of 22 degrees; 23.2 in 2016; 22 degrees again in 2017; and at 23.5 on average the following year. The sequence is repeated in 2019 while in 2020 it was reduced to 19-20 degrees. In 2021 and 2022 it returned to an average of 23.5; until 2023 where the analysis already carried out place the average at 25.3. To make a comparison, in June of this year the average was 23.5.
At the moment the sea is over 25 degrees, something that is not normal for late October and two degrees above average. But also, in the southern area of Alicante, on beaches like Torrevieja, the sea temperatures are the warmest inn the Costa Blanca with 26 degrees.
The current situation has its origins a long time ago. We have had years of constant warming of the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, which causes concern for the coast of Alicante and Murcia. It is what is called the “Balearic Sea” affect and it is the warmest area of the western Mediterranean, and the one that affects Alicante. In June it can reach 24-25 degrees, also hotter temperatures than usual. And that heat increases in July and August with averages of 27 and 28 degrees. The hot water these summer months causes the accumulated heat to extend until October.
However, a sea at that temperature in October carries an added danger because a sea that accumulates so much heat also has a lot of energy, which makes it potentially unstable. So, it could make any storms that occur “more energetic” with heavier rain. Therefore, we may yet have to pay for the consequences of an Indian summer.