Spain breaks June heat record twice

Published on 24/06/2026 - 16:36 GMT+2

The heatwave affecting Spain and much of Europe is setting historic records in different parts of the country. Cantabria reached 43.7°C in the municipality of Tama on Tuesday, the highest temperature ever recorded in the region in any month of the year, while large areas of the north remain under the highest heat alerts, according to the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet).

The agency reported on Wednesday that this Monday and Tuesday (22 and 23 June) were the two hottest June days since at least 1950 in mainland Spain. The average daily temperature reached 28.08°C on Monday and 28.17°C on Tuesday, surpassing the previous record of 28.01°C set on 30 June 2025.

"During this heatwave, three days have ranked among the ten hottest on record for the month of June," Aemet said.

Monday's and Tuesday's readings were also more than seven degrees above the normal values for this time of year, in an episode that has arrived unusually early and is affecting regions traditionally less exposed to extreme heat.

Night-time temperatures have also broken records. The average minimum temperature reached 20.14°C on Monday and 19.81°C on Tuesday, the highest values ever recorded in June in Spain. These so-called "tropical nights" make it harder to sleep and can pose a threat to public health.

The situation has led to the highest heat alerts being issued in parts of Cantabria and the Basque Country, something unusual in northern regions of the peninsula that normally escape the most severe episodes of high temperatures.

The current heatwave is bringing temperatures between five and ten degrees above normal across much of the country.

The heatwave has already left a historic mark in Aemet's records. According to data from its network of 828 weather stations, 13 records for maximum daytime temperatures and 16 for night-time minimum temperatures for this time of year have been broken, across 18 provinces throughout Spain.