International News: Spain records 61 heatwave days in 2026, highest on record

By Zoila Palma:  Spain has recorded its highest number of heatwave days in a single year, with the country’s weather agency confirming that residents have experienced 61 days of heatwave conditions so far in 2026. The figure surpasses the previous record of 41 days recorded during the scorching summer of 2022.

The State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) also reported that the summer of 2026 was the hottest since records began in 1961, with an average temperature of 24.5°C. That was 0.3°C higher than 2025 and 2.4°C above the long-term average.

Aemet noted that all 10 of Spain’s hottest summers have occurred during the 21st century, while seven of the eight warmest have been recorded since 2015.

The agency said Spain’s meteorological summer is also becoming longer, with unusually high temperatures extending beyond the traditional summer months.

Temperatures typical of July were recorded across large parts of the country as early as late May, while another heatwave occurred from September 2 to 7, lasting six days and affecting 16 provinces. Aemet said only four other years—1987, 1988, 2006 and 2016—have experienced September heatwaves of similar intensity.

Despite the extreme heat, heavy winter rainfall has left Spain’s reservoirs in relatively strong condition, with average levels at 62.58% of capacity after the summer.

However, the country has continued to face large-scale wildfires, exposing concerns over forest-fire prevention.

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