Spain recorded its joint-highest September temperature on Thursday, with 45.7°C measured in the southwestern town of El Granado, according to the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET). The reading matches a 2016 record set in nearby Montoro, both located in the Andalusia region.
The high also marks the highest temperature observed in Spain so far this year, as summer-like heat exceeding 40°C has swept across much of the country’s southern and western regions.
AEMET further reported that the January-to-August period was the hottest on record for the nation, significantly outpacing the next four warmest such periods, which occurred in the previous four years. “It is an unmistakable sign that, in Spain, warming is accelerating,” the agency stated. July had previously been identified as one of the hottest months on record.
The extreme temperatures have taken a severe toll on public health. Spain’s public health institute registered nearly 4,500 heat-related deaths since June 1. Across Europe, extreme heat has been linked to thousands of excess fatalities, while drought and low river levels have disrupted economic activity and broken temperature records throughout the continent.
In response to the growing frequency and cost of extreme weather, Spain is urging the European Commission to prioritize climate adaptation as a central economic and security concern. According to documents reviewed by Euronews, Madrid argues that Europe can no longer depend on reactive measures as climate risks intensify.
45.7 grados en septiembre ya no es inusual, pero casi 4500 muertes calentan más que cualquier termómetro.
AEMET lo dice claro: el calentamiento se acelera. España pide adaptación climática, no solo reactores.