WORLD NEWS
Spain spent 61 summer days under heatwave conditions, 20 more than the previous record
Mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands experienced 61 days under heatwave conditions in summer 2026. That was 20 days above the previous record of 41 in 2022 and roughly two thirds of the 92-day meteorological summer.
The figure does not mean every place was equally hot on every one of those days. It adds the dates of four episodes classified retrospectively by AEMET using extent, duration and intensity; the Canary Islands recorded a separate five-day episode.
How hot was the summer?
The June–August mean was 24.5°C, the highest in the series beginning in 1961, 2.4°C above the 1991–2020 average and 0.3°C above the 2025 record.
When were the episodes?
The first ran 20–27 June, the second 2–24 July and the third 28 July–20 August. A provisional 2–7 September episode carried summer-like heat into meteorological autumn.
What counts as a heatwave?
At least 10% of selected stations must exceed the 95th-percentile July–August maximum threshold from 1971–2000 for at least three consecutive days. Warning-day counts can therefore differ.
Why does duration matter?
Persistent heat limits overnight recovery and repeatedly strains health, work and cooling systems. This release alone cannot attribute deaths or farm losses.
What to watch next
The September classification was provisional. AEMET’s final seasonal report and regional health and energy data should refine the impact.
Primary source and independent checks
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