Extreme Heat in Spain Linked to More Than 212 Victims, 8.74% More Than a Year Earlier in the Same Period

An unusual and record-breaking heatwave that has swept across much of Europe may be linked to 212 deaths in Spain from Sunday to Wednesday, according to estimates by a public institute.

The MoMo monitoring system compiles daily death statistics in Spain and compares them with expected levels, calculated on the basis of historical data.

Its analyses also include external factors, including meteorological data from the national agency AEMET, to determine the possible causes of the rise in mortality. According to these data, for the same four days in 2025, an excess mortality of 98 deaths was recorded, during the hottest summer ever recorded in a country directly exposed to climate change.

MoMo data show that from May 16 to September 30 last year, the number of heat-related deaths in Spain reached 3,832. This represents an increase of 87.6% compared with the same period in 2024.

During this week, mainland Spain has recorded the highest daily average temperatures for the month of June since at least 1950. Monday saw 28.08°C, while Tuesday recorded 28.17°C. Those same two days also brought the highest June average minimum temperatures since 1950, with 20.14°C recorded on Monday and 19.81°C on Tuesday.

The so-called “tropical nights” make sleeping difficult and can pose a public health risk. The highest alerts have been issued in areas of northern Spain, including Cantabria and the Basque Country, regions that usually avoid the most extreme heat but where temperatures have exceeded 40 degrees Celsius.

Most weather warnings were lifted on Thursday, while the lowest level, yellow, remained in force in the north. At least 101 million people are expected to face high temperatures on Thursday (June 25), including 50 million in France, the hardest-hit country, where around 63 million people are experiencing temperatures above 30°C.