Spain heat wave kills over 1,000 in second-hottest June ever

Key Points:

• Spain experienced over 1,000 heat-related deaths during a recent heat wave, with 1,028 fatalities reported in June 2026, more than double the number in June 2025, marking the deadliest June since 2015.
• The Carlos III Health Institute noted that 73% of Spain's population was exposed to health risks at the peak of the heat wave on June 23, while Spain recorded its hottest first half of the year on record, with temperatures 1.6°C above normal.
• The heat wave affected much of Europe, breaking temperature records in countries like France, Germany, Poland, and Hungary, and causing over 1,300 additional deaths continent-wide, according to the World Health Organization.
• Meteorologists attribute the heat wave to a high-pressure system called the "African anticyclone," which created a "heat dome" trapping hot air over Western and Central Europe, with human-induced climate change intensifying the temperatures by up to 4°C.
• Portugal issued red heat warnings for Lisbon and Setubal with forecasted highs of 40°C, and orange alerts for most of the country, as the heat wave is expected to spread further into Spain, Italy, France, and beyond in the coming days.