Tropical and equatorial nights

THE Valencian Community has just endured its second bout of hot Saharan air this summer. 
Daytime temperatures were well into the 30s along the coast, reaching more than 40 in inland Alicante and Valencia. 
Nor was there much let-up at night, with temperatures sometimes in the high 20s, revealed Spain’s Meteorological Agency, Aemet, which classes nights when the temperature does not drop below 24C as “tropical.”  Those of 25C or more are officially regarded as “equatorial.” 
And for those who question the validity of climate change or global warming, the Alicante City weather monitoring centre at Ciudad Jardin, recently published a table setting out tropical and equatorial nights that could make up their minds for them. 
1940s: five tropical nights and one equatorial night 
1950s: six tropical nights and two equatorial nights 
1960s: four tropical nights and one equatorial night 
1970s: two tropical nights and no equatorial nights 
1980s: 14 tropical nights and five equatorial nights 
1990s: 24 tropical nights and two tropical nights 
2000s: 65 tropical nights and 12 tropical nights 
2010s: 74 tropical nights and 22 tropical nights