A2 · ElementaryAdapted from ElDiario.es

Madrid Heat Returns: Yellow Alert Issued

Madrid vuelve a arder: aviso amarillo por calor

Sep 2, 20261 min readGraded Spanish · word-by-word audio

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El calor intenso vuelve a Madrid. La Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (AEMET) ha activado el aviso amarillo para este miércoles.

Este miércoles, las temperaturas subirán ligeramente. Las mínimas estarán entre 15 y 20 grados. El cielo estará poco nuboso o despejado, con viento flojo del norte que girará al sur durante las horas centrales del día.

El jueves continuará el aviso amarillo. El viernes, las máximas podrán llegar a 39 grados en algunos puntos. El fin de semana, las máximas bajarán, pero las mínimas subirán por encima de 20 grados, con posibles lluvias débiles.

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Watch out, English speaker

English speakers often use 'will' for all future events, but Spanish simple future (e.g., 'alcanzarán') is formed by adding endings to the infinitive. Don't confuse it with the conditional ('alcanzarían') or the informal future ('van a alcanzar'). Also, remember that the future tense in Spanish can express probability in the present, unlike English. Spanish present perfect ('ha activado') is used for recent past actions with present relevance, similar to English 'has activated'. However, English often uses simple past ('activated') in contexts where Spanish requires present perfect, especially with time markers like 'hoy' or 'esta semana'. Avoid using the preterite ('activó') when the action is connected to now.

Key vocabulary

calorm.
heat
“El calor intenso vuelve a Madrid.”— Intense heat returns to Madrid.
Pattern hace calor it's hot
Compare calor intenso intense heat
plural calores
💡 From Latin calor, cognate with English calorie
avisom.
warning, alert
“AEMET ha activado el aviso amarillo.”— AEMET has issued the yellow alert.
Pattern aviso amarillo yellow warning
Compare alerta alert
plural avisos
💡 Noun form of the verb avisar (to notify)
temperaturaf.
temperature
“Las temperaturas máximas alcanzarán 37 grados.”— Maximum temperatures will reach 37 degrees.
Pattern temperatura máxima maximum temperature
plural temperaturas
💡 From Latin temperatura, cognate with English temperature
alcanzarv.
to reach
“Las temperaturas alcanzarán 37 grados.”— Temperatures will reach 37 degrees.
Pattern alcanzar una temperatura to reach a temperature
Compare llegar a to reach
Present: alcanzo, alcanzas, alcanza...
💡 Composed of a + canzar (to chase), originally meaning 'to catch up'
subirv.
to rise, go up
“Las temperaturas subirán ligeramente.”— Temperatures will rise slightly.
Pattern subir de temperatura to rise in temperature
Compare aumentar to increase
Present: subo, subes, sube...
💡 Antonym bajar (to drop)
despejadoadj.
clear, cloudless
“El cielo estará despejado.”— The sky will be clear.
Pattern cielo despejado clear sky
Compare soleado sunny
feminine despejada, plural despejados
💡 Comes from the past participle of despejar (to clear)
vientom.
wind
“Habrá viento flojo del norte.”— There will be a light north wind.
Pattern viento flojo light wind
Compare brisa breeze
plural vientos
💡 Cognate with English wind, from Latin ventus
lluviaf.
rain
“Puede haber lluvias débiles.”— There may be light rain.
Pattern lluvia débil light rain
Compare precipitación precipitation
plural lluvias
💡 Noun form of the verb llover (to rain)

Grammar spotlight

Future tense (simple future)

Used to talk about actions or states that will happen in the future. Add the endings -é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án to the infinitive. For example: alcanzarán (will reach), subirán (will rise).

“Las temperaturas máximas alcanzarán 37 grados.”— High temperatures will reach 37 degrees.

⚠️ Don't confuse it with the conditional, which expresses possibility or politeness; the future tense expresses a definite plan.

Present perfect: haber + past participle

Used to talk about recently completed actions. Formed with the present tense of haber + past participle. For example: ha activado (has activated/issued).

“AEMET ha activado el aviso amarillo.”— AEMET has issued the yellow alert.

⚠️ Watch out for irregular past participles, e.g., activado is regular, but some verbs like abrir → abierto.

Sentence patterns to steal

El calor intenso vuelve a Madrid.
Intense heat returns to Madrid.
El calor intenso vuelve a + placeThe place can be replaced with another city or region.
Las temperaturas máximas alcanzarán 37 grados en la mayor parte de la región.
High temperatures will reach 37 degrees in most of the region.
Las temperaturas máximas alcanzarán + number + grados en + placeThe number and place can be replaced.
El viernes, las máximas podrán llegar a 39 grados en algunos puntos.
On Friday, highs could reach 39 degrees in some areas.
Las máximas podrán llegar a + number + grados en + placeThe number and place can be replaced.

AEMET's Weather Warning System

The Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) uses a color-coded warning system: green (no risk), yellow (no danger, but be aware), orange (significant risk), and red (extreme risk). A yellow warning usually means that weather such as high temperatures may affect daily activities.

Source: AEMET official website

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