Portugal and Spain brace for heatwave with temperatures reaching up to 38 °C

A hot air mass will return to the Iberian Peninsula this weekend, bringing a sharp rise in temperatures. In Portugal, maximum temperatures are expected to climb to around 36 °C on Sunday as the prevailing wind dies down. The heat is forecast to affect several regions, with inland areas experiencing the highest values.

In Spain, the heatwave will be even more pronounced. Forecasts predict daytime highs of 34 °C to 36 °C across much of the country, with the Guadalquivir valley and the southern interior possibly exceeding 38 °C and isolated spots approaching 40 °C. The central and southern regions, including Madrid, Seville and Córdoba, are highlighted as the most affected. May 2026 recorded 101 heat‑related deaths, more than three times the ten‑year average, underscoring the health risk of the ongoing temperature anomaly.

Both nations are experiencing an unusually warm June, with temperatures well above the seasonal norm across the peninsula and the Balearic Islands.