Spain records hottest and driest summer on record in 2026

The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) confirmed that the June‑July bimestre of 2026 was the warmest and driest period ever recorded in Spain since the series began in 1961. The national average temperature reached 24.5 °C, about 0.7 °C higher than the previous record set in 2022 and 2025, and 2.9 °C above the 1991‑2020 climate normal. Rainfall fell to just 17 L / m², the lowest total in the historical series, far below the 21 L / m² of 1994 and the 27 L / m² of 2005, 2016. Minister Sara Aagesen highlighted the trend, stating, “El verano de 2026 es ya el más cálido de toda la serie histórica en España…”. She called for a State pact on the climate emergency to coordinate measures across administrations. The data also show that nine of the ten hottest bimesters have occurred in the 21st century, underscoring an accelerating warming pattern.