October morning temperatures of over 30 degrees Celsius in Spain may have pleased tourists, but they are raising concern among environmentalists.

Mercury has risen well above the norm across much of Europe, from Spain to Sweden.

After a summer marked by repeated heat waves across much of the continent, Europe is experiencing exceptional temperatures even as autumn approaches – a sign of accelerating climate change.

“The month is not over yet, but we can already say with virtually no contradiction that it will be the hottest (in Spain) since 1961,” said Ruben del Campo of Spain’s weather service Aemet when records began.

If extrapolated data from historical reconstructions are taken into account, he added, last month was Spain’s warmest October in a century.

“One or two days above 30 degrees is normal” for Spain, said del Campo. “But that many days, no. These are summer temperatures as we head towards fall.”

As of 8:30 a.m. (06:30 GMT) on Friday morning in the northern resort of San Sebastian, the temperature reached 30.3 degrees Celsius – well above the seasonal average.

After forest fires broke out in the Basque Country, which includes San Sebastián, authorities have banned barbecues and fireworks to minimize the risks.

The unusually warm charm has brought a new word into the Spanish lexicon – “verono” – a mix of summery (summer) and otono (autumn).

And it has left Del Campo, who highlighted a “remarkable acceleration” in climate change over the past decade, exposing Spain to increasing creeping desertification.

According to think tank Climate Central, the Spanish cities of Madrid, Barcelona, ????Valencia and Zaragoza are all among the top 10 European cities hardest hit by global warming, based on findings from the past 12 months.

Neighboring France, like Spain, experienced a hotter than normal October. But Sweden was also sizzling in the north – on Friday it managed to reach a record high of 19.5 degrees in the southern city of Kristianstad.

“This is the highest temperature ever recorded in Sweden this late in the year,” Erik Hojgard-Olsen, a meteorologist at the Swedish Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (SMHI), told AFP.

In south-west France, which also suffered widespread wildfire damage amid repeated heat waves over the summer, Meteo France said temperatures closed on Friday at 30 degrees.

In Belgium, a maximum temperature of 24 degrees Celsius has been forecast for the capital, Brussels – a full 10 degrees higher than the norm for late October.

Britain’s Met Office noted that Londoners had a balmy 20.5 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, “closer to what we would normally see in late August rather than late October”.

A warm front moving in from the southwest of the continent has also benefited Germany, which is enjoying temperatures closer to summer than early November.

“Hard to believe it’s the end of October as much of Europe (and North Africa) is experiencing unusual heat,” the World Meteorological Organization tweeted on Friday.

For Ruben del Campo, some people might see an advantage in keeping the central heating off for now – or even taking an off-season trip to the beach.

“But in reality the consequences are not good,” he said, noting low water levels in reservoirs – bad news for Spain, whose intensive agriculture provides Europe with a sizeable part of its fruit and vegetables.

Spain’s reservoirs were down to 31.8 percent of capacity last week, compared to their seasonal average of 49.3 percent for the decade.

Local residents and tourists alike, enjoying the benefits of a trip to Barcelona’s beaches, said they were aware there was a downside.

“We’re really happy to have this heat – we like it. But that’s not normal,” said Alicia Pesquera, a 43-year-old beauty therapist.

“Of course it worries us. At the moment it should be raining or at least a bit chilly,” said Fernando Raibas, a tourist from the northern region of Galicia.