Spain suffers most intense heatwave on record
Spain has endured its most intense heatwave since records began, lasting 16 consecutive days in August, according to the national meteorological agency Aemet.
Preliminary data show that this heatwave surpassed the one recorded in July 2022, with average temperatures 4.6°C higher than those of a typical heatwave. In 2022, the deviation had reached 4.5°C. Since 1975, Spain has recorded 77 heatwaves, six of which showed anomalies of 4°C or more — five of them occurring since 2019, highlighting the growing severity of these extreme events.
The August heatwave ended on the 18th, but the period between August 8 and 17 has been confirmed as the hottest ever measured in Spain since at least 1950. According to the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), an estimated 1,149 deaths may be linked to this extreme weather event.
The institute’s MoMo monitoring system compares daily mortality with historical averages, incorporating meteorological data. While it cannot establish a direct causal link between heat and deaths, it provides the most reliable estimate of climate-related mortality.
The heatwave has also fueled devastating wildfires across Spain and Portugal. At least eight people — four in each country — have died, and more than 400,000 hectares of land have been destroyed.
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