National heat record in Spain

Spain has set a new national temperature record for June, with 46 degrees Celsius measured in the town of El Granado, located in the south of the country, close to the border with Portugal. The information was officially confirmed by the Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET) in the context of an unusually early heat wave affecting the Iberian Peninsula.

• A historic record

The previous record for June was 45.2°C, recorded in Seville in 1965. The new record comes after consecutive days of extreme temperatures that exceeded 40°C in dozens of Spanish and Portuguese towns. The Algarve region, in southern Portugal, also experienced temperatures close to 40°C. On the island of Mallorca, thermometers climbed to almost 35°C.

• An alarming climate signal

The June heat wave is considered unusually early, exceeding normal values for the beginning of summer and confirming extreme climate trends associated with global warming. Spain is one of the European countries most exposed to climate risk, with: increasingly hot summers, severe drought, increased risks of vegetation fires. In recent years, AEMET and other European institutions have reported a significant increase in the frequency and intensity of heat waves, including in the spring and early summer months.

• Precautionary measures and alert

Authorities in Spain and Portugal have issued heatwave alerts, urging the population to: avoid exposure to the sun during peak hours, hydrate properly, be attentive to vulnerable people (elderly, children, people with chronic conditions).

The record of 46°C recorded in El Granado is more than an isolated phenomenon: it is a clear symptom of the worsening climate crisis. If such extreme weather events become more frequent in the early summer months, Southern Europe could become an area with unbearable summers in the coming decades, with a major impact on public health, agriculture and the tourism economy.