Heatwaves are “switching off” the Mediterranean breezes: the wind that used to cool us in Spain is getting weaker

A study found that Mediterranean sea breezes in the western basin have weakened by about 11% on average since 1981.

Using 41 years of data from 39 weather stations in Spain, France, Italy and North Africa, the decline was strongest in summer and along Spanish coasts and the Balearic Islands.

Researchers link the slowdown to global warming and heatwaves, which stabilize the atmosphere and suppress coastal winds.

Because these breezes cool coastal areas and disperse pollutants, further weakening could raise heat stress and air-pollution risks.