Record heat in Havana: the thermometer reaches 38 degrees in May

The Casablanca weather station in Havana recorded a maximum temperature of 38,0°C on Tuesday, setting a new record for the month of May in that city. The previous record was 37,3 °C, reached on May 19, 2024, according to the Institute of Meteorology (Insmet).

Cuba exceeds 40 degrees for the first time

This new record adds to a series of extreme temperatures that have hit the country in recent years. On April 11, 2024, the Jucarito station in Granma province recorded 40,1°C, the highest temperature ever measured in Cuba.

A month later, on May 14, the Bolivian town of Ciego de Ávila reached 40,0 °C, becoming the second highest mark in the country's history.

Other towns have also experienced record temperatures. In April 2020, Veguitas, Granma, recorded 39,7°C, while Indio Hatuey, Matanzas, reached 39,3°C.

Extreme heat and blackouts aggravate the situation

Rising temperatures coincide with frequent power outages, which worsen the temperature and make it difficult for people to cope with the heat with adequate means such as fans or air conditioning.

On social media, users are expressing their exhaustion with messages like, "What awaits us in July and August?", "It's a crime to turn off the power in this unbearable heat," or "With all this heat, mosquitoes, and blackouts, we're sick of it."

This combination of factors has generated strong unrest among citizens, who express their concerncupaction for what may happen in the coming summer months.

“And you guys are contributing your part with some serious blackouts to finish us off,” another internet user commented.

Global warming intensifies heat waves

Specialists from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (Citma) warn that global warming is contributing to rising temperatures in Cuba.

Projections indicate that the average annual temperature could increase by more than one degree Celsius by 2030 and by 3,5 degrees by 2070, based on the period 1961-1990.

This is a difficult scenario for the country's public health, agriculture, and energy infrastructure.

The public is advised to take measures to protect themselves from the heat, especially the most vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and people with chronic illnesses.