During the summer, TV viewership often drops as people head outdoors or go on holiday. But when major events like the Euros, Wimbledon, and the Olympics air, viewership surges—just as weather-related issues begin to affect reception.

Here’s your annual reminder: hot and humid weather can disrupt satellite and terrestrial TV signals, along with mobile, Wi-Fi, and wireless internet.

In areas like Costa Blanca North and Valencia, satellite dishes are often pushed to their reception limits. When temperatures rise and humidity builds—particularly in the afternoon—signal strength suffers. This can cause pixelation or even complete channel loss, especially for weaker UK channels like ITV HD, BBC HD, the UKTV group (The “U&” channels), and some Discovery channels (Dmax)

Here’s why:

• Heat and Humidity Affect Signal Transmission:
  Satellite, Wi-Fi, mobile, and terrestrial signals all rely on radio waves, which can be disrupted by hot, humid air. Moisture in the atmosphere absorbs and scatters these signals, weakening them before they reach your devices.

• Weaker Satellite Signals in Southern Europe:
  UK satellite TV signals aimed at Spain are already relatively weak by the time they arrive. Heat and humidity make it harder for these signals to be received clearly, leading to pixelation or total loss of channels.

• Overheating Equipment:
  Satellite dish components, like the LNB (the receiver at the dish’s focal point), get exposed to the sun for long hours. This can cause overheating, which reduces their ability to pick up signals effectively.

• Dish Warping and Misalignment:
  The satellite dishes themselves can heat up, causing metal or plastic parts to expand and warp. Once cooled, they might not return to their optimal shape, leading to misalignment and poorer signal reception.

• Wireless Internet Slowdowns:
  Heat and humidity also slow down Wi-Fi and mobile internet speeds because the signals face more resistance traveling through hot, moist air.

• Atmospheric Conditions:
  High air pressure and heat can bend or reflect TV and radio waves, causing interference and signal scrambling, especially for terrestrial TV received via aerials.

By contrast, cooler months offer more stable reception thanks to lower temperatures and clearer skies.

So you can expect temporary dropouts this summer, especially on these weaker UK channels and regions in Valencia and Costa Blanca.

Example of the affected UK TV channels :

BBC : BBC One South HD

Channel 4 HD : South & East, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Midlands, North

UKTV Group: Dave, Drama, Yesterday, Gold, Eden, W, Alibi

WBD : DMAX UK, Food Network UK, Food Network Ireland, Discovery Channel UK, Animal Planet UK, Discovery Science UK, Discovery History, Discovery Turbo UK, Quest UK, Quest Red UK, TLC UK

Various Sky pay channels : E4HD, Irish RTE, U&Gold HD, U&Alibi HD, Sky Sci FI HD, Nat Geo HD;