Spain braces for second heatwave as temperatures set to hit 43°C and death toll rises
A new heatwave is sweeping across Spain and southwestern Europe, with AEMET warning of temperatures up to 43°C and very high fire risk, after June already saw record heat-related deaths.
Second heatwave of the summer
Spain's state meteorological agency AEMET issued a special notice confirming the arrival of the second heatwave of the summer on Sunday 5 July, expected to last at least until Tuesday 7 July. The episode will bring temperatures above 40°C across large parts of the peninsula and the Balearic Islands, with the hottest conditions forecast for Monday. The heatwave follows a Saturday that already saw 42°C in Badajoz and 40°C in Córdoba and Seville. AEMET warns of very high to extreme fire risk and advises against outdoor activity during the central hours of the day.
- Pre-heatwave: Badajoz hits 42°C, Córdoba and Sevilla 40°C.
- Second heatwave begins. Temperatures up to 43°C in Extremadura, Andalusia, west Castilla-La Mancha.
- Peak day. Bilbao may exceed 40°C. Widespread extreme heat.
- Heatwave expected to last at least until this day. Risk of fires very high.
Health and mortality impacts
The current heatwave compounds an already deadly summer. Spain's Ministry of Health reported that June 2026 was the deadliest month for heat since daily mortality monitoring began in 2015, with 1,029 deaths. In France, 2,025 heat-related deaths were recorded in a single week, and virulent fires have broken out in the southwest. In the United States, over 100 people were treated for heat at a historic train event in Pennsylvania, and New York City deployed 15 mobile cooling vans.
We were able to provide them with water, sunscreen, electrolytes, a snack, a meal and a friendly smile.
Worker protections and adaptation
Spanish labour law provides a paid, non-recoverable leave of up to four days when adverse weather prevents access to the workplace, a provision in force since November 2024 that covers heatwaves. The Labour Inspectorate is sending 113,916 notices to companies in 2026 reminding them of their duty to protect workers from high temperatures.
In Barcelona, the city council distributed 1,400 thermal bracelets to outdoor workers. The device, CANARIA+, made by Japanese firm Biodata Bank, is designed to detect heat stress risk early.There is no automatic temperature that entitles you not to go to work, so it is advisable to always communicate the situation to the company.
In Japan, last year the number of people transported urgently for heatstroke exceeded 100,000. In cities like Tokyo, ambulance demand during summer became so high that authorities issued alerts asking the population to use emergency services appropriately.
Climate change driving more extremes
AEMET spokesperson Rubén del Campo noted that average temperatures in Spain have risen 1.8°C since the 1970s, and summer temperatures have climbed 2°C in 65 years. The average number of heatwave days per year has surged from 3 four decades ago to 22 today.
The current episode is linked to an anticyclonic ridge and a DANA west of the peninsula, and the EFI extreme forecast index indicates very unusual temperature values.In the long run, summers will be increasingly hot and we can expect to be under a heatwave for more days.
- ~1986
- 3 days
- 2026
- 22 days
Global dimension
The heat is not confined to Spain. France has opened three authorised bathing areas in the Seine in Paris to help residents cool off. Professor Michael K. Dorsey of the University of Arizona described the crisis as overwhelming urban response capacity.
Forecast maximum temperatures for the coming days show extreme values across multiple Spanish regions.It's really a kind of mountain of heat that the EU was never designed to climb.
- Extremadura
- 43 °C
- Andalusia
- 43 °C
- W Castilla-La Mancha
- 43 °C
- Ourense (Galicia)
- 42 °C
- Rías Baixas (Galicia)
- 40 °C
- Bilbao (Basque Country)
- 40 °C
