The mercury rose to 29.5C in Valencia, 28.5C in Murcia in the southeast and 27.8C near Malaga in the south - temperatures usually seen in June rather than January.
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Spring temperatures in the middle of Spain's winter lured people to beaches and outdoor cafes on Thursday - but even those enjoying the unusually warm weather voiced concerns about climate change and the threat of new heatwaves. The meteorology service expected temperatures to reach 28 degrees Celsius (82 Fahrenheit) in the Mediterranean region of Murcia and 24-26C in most of Andalusia in southern Spain, with many other parts of the country climbing to 20C - up to 10C above normal levels for the time of the year in some places. Scientists have linked scorching temperatures and dry and windy conditions in many parts of the world, including southern Europe, to climate change.