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Health-and-wellness — Average — Climate-change — Science

Temperature map hues haven't shifted to trigger concerns about global heating.

Experts refute the misleading claim that colors in temperature maps are artificially altered to exaggerate global warming's implications.

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3 min read
Experts categorically reject the deceptive narrative that manipulates temperature map hues to...
Experts categorically reject the deceptive narrative that manipulates temperature map hues to intensify depictions of global warming.

Temperature map hues haven't shifted to trigger concerns about global heating.

"Sizzling Summer Misinformation: Breaking Down Temperature Maps"

Summer's here, and with it comes the return of a popular misinformation trend concerning temperature maps on social media. Some claim that warmer tones are used to exaggerate global warming. But fear not, we've dived deep to debunk these rumors and set the record straight.

On May 27, 2025 marked the first major heatwave of the year, with scorching temperatures exceeding 40 degrees in parts of the country. The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) issued a warning about an "extraordinary episode of summer-like maximum temperatures," accompanied by a temperature map that sparked viral outrage. Critics argued that the color scale used was designed to exaggerate the situation, with the image turning the usually green color representing mild temperatures into a chilling -4 to -12 degrees Celsius.

But, let's kick it straight - it wasn't AEMET's color scale. The data for the May 27 map was actually provided by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). AEMET's spokesperson, Rubén del Campo, confirmed this to our team at Verificaour. He explained that this data is used to create specific social media animations.

So, why use a scale that appears to exaggerate temperatures? Del Campo points out that the scale used on the map, ranging from -20°C to 48°C, is agreed upon by over thirty countries and is published by the ECMWF on their website. Furthermore, the controversial scale presented yellow, orange, red, and purple tones above zero degrees due to a range of 68 degrees grouped in four-value increments.

If you're still not convinced, fear not – the ECMWF assures us that AEMET makes no changes to their temperature maps. They maintain that the focus is on creating easily understandable visuals to allow users to quickly read values.

Now, let's talk about AEMET's color scale. On their official page, AEMET uses two different numerical models: Harmonie-Arome for the Peninsula, Balearics, and Canary Islands and CEPPM for the North Atlantic. For temperatures below zero, white and purple tones are used, with warmer tones appearing at 32°C. In contrast, ECMWF maps feature a greater range, forcing the use of both cold and warm colors on the scale.

AEMET admits that, due to Spain's warmer climate, their color scale is better suited for their maps than the ECMWF's. They are working to bridge the gap between both communication channels for consistency.

But it's not just AEMET's maps that stir controversy. TVE's 'El Tiempo' maps use a color scale that varies every two degrees, with different shades of blue or green for cooler temperatures and warm colors like yellow and black for hotter temperatures. The program's presenter, Albert Barniol, mentioned that the color scheme has remained the same over time, with tweaks made for higher temperatures.

In conclusion, weather maps use different color scales to effectively communicate weather data. It's important to remember that these choices are influenced by factors such as data context, color theory, device limitations, and standardization efforts, as well as aesthetic and accessibility considerations. So, the next time you see a temperature map on social media that looks alarming or questionable, take a minute to double-check the facts and remember – it's all in the color scheme!

  1. The color scale used by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) is agreed upon by over thirty countries, and it ranges from -20°C to 48°C, with yellow, orange, red, and purple tones above zero degrees due to a range of 68 degrees grouped in four-value increments, contributing to the debate within environmental science regarding the depiction of climate change.
  2. Ongoing efforts within health-and-wellness and environmental science communities aim to ensure consistency across temperature maps used by different organizations, such as the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) in Spain, by adapting color scales to better suit local climate conditions and improve the overall understanding of temperature data among the general public.

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