Spain's state meteorological agency, AEMET, has declared that the 16-day heatwave in August was the most intense on record, with temperatures 4.6°C above the heatwave threshold. This surpasses the previous record set in 2022 by 0.1°C, according to provisional data.
The heatwave, which lasted from 3 to 18 August, exacerbated tinderbox conditions, fueling wildfires that continue to ravage northern and western Spain. More than 1,100 deaths have been linked to the heatwave, based on estimates from the Carlos III Health Institute.
AEMET noted that a 10-day period from 8 to 17 August was the hottest consecutive 10 days in Spain since at least 1950. Since records began in 1975, Spain has experienced 77 heatwaves, with six exceeding 4°C above the threshold—five of those since 2019.
Scientists attribute the increasing intensity and frequency of heatwaves to the climate crisis. AEMET emphasized that while not every summer is hotter than the last, there is a clear trend toward more extreme summers, urging adaptation and mitigation measures.
