July 01 (THEWILL) — Spain has recorded 1,029 excess deaths linked to extreme heat during June, official data released on Wednesday showed, after a five-day heatwave pushed temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius and made the month the country’s second hottest June since records began.
Figures from Spain’s Health Ministry’s daily mortality monitoring system (MoMo) showed that June 2026 recorded the highest number of heat-attributable deaths for the month since 2015, underscoring the growing public health risks posed by increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves across southern Europe.
Spain’s national weather agency, AEMET, said average temperatures in June were 3.2 degrees Celsius above the 1991–2020 climate average, making it the country’s second hottest June on record after June 2025.
The agency noted that the country’s first major heatwave of the summer lasted five days and saw temperatures exceed 40 degrees Celsius in several regions.
According to official estimates, the heatwave peaked on June 23, when approximately 35.7 million people (about 73 per cent of Spain’s population), were exposed to heat-related health risks. Of those, around 38 per cent were assessed to be at high risk due to the extreme temperatures.
AEMET said Spain has experienced 12 June heatwaves since 1975, with six of them occurring within the past decade alone, indicating that severe heat episodes are arriving earlier in the summer than in previous decades.
The weather agency also revealed that the 13 hottest Junes recorded since observations began in 1961 have all occurred during the 21st century.
AEMET spokesperson Rubén del Campo said the trend provides further evidence that heatwaves are becoming more frequent at the beginning of summer as the climate warms.
Between June 1 and June 30, Spain recorded 165 new daytime maximum temperature records—145 monthly records and 20 all-time highs—alongside 225 records for unusually high overnight minimum temperatures, including 45 records.
AEMET described the first heatwave of the summer as particularly exceptional in northern Spain because of its intensity, duration, and persistence.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
