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After several days of unusually high temperatures across much of Spain, forecasters are now watching closely to see whether the country is about to experience its first official heatwave of 2026.

 

Weather models suggest temperatures will continue climbing from Saturday June 20 as a strong area of high pressure settles over the Iberian Peninsula, bringing hotter and more stable conditions.

 

The warm-up is expected to be felt across most of the country, although some of the biggest temperature increases could occur in parts of Galicia. Coastal areas of A Coruña and Pontevedra may see temperatures rise by more than 6°C compared with previous days.

 

By the weekend, maximum temperatures are forecast to sit well above what would normally be expected for late June. In many parts of Spain, temperatures are likely to exceed 35°C, while some areas of Extremadura and the Guadalquivir Valley could approach 40°C.

 

The heat is expected to intensify further on Sunday June 21, particularly in northern parts of the country.

Meteorologists use several criteria when deciding whether a spell of hot weather qualifies as an official heatwave. One of those is temperatures remaining exceptionally high over a large area, while another is the persistence of those conditions over several consecutive days.

 

Current forecasts suggest both requirements may be met by the end of the weekend.

 

If the hot weather continues into next week, as current projections indicate, Spain could officially record its first heatwave of the year just as astronomical summer gets underway.

 

The high-pressure system responsible for the heat is expected to remain in place until at least Tuesday June 23, helping to keep temperatures elevated across much of the country.

 

What’s probably some less welcome news is that the heat won't be limited to daytime hours either.

Minimum temperatures are also forecast to rise significantly, bringing a growing number of tropical nights. This term is used when overnight temperatures fail to fall below 20°C, often making it difficult to cool homes and get a comfortable night's sleep.

 

Tropical nights are expected across large parts of the Mediterranean coast, the Balearic Islands, much of Andalucia, Extremadura, eastern Castilla-La Mancha and many areas of the Madrid region.

Some locations in the Ebro Valley and southern Galicia could also see overnight temperatures remain above 20°C.

 

Although forecasts can still change over the coming days, current predictions point to a notably hot start to summer, with many parts of Spain facing several days of intense heat and very warm nights.

 

For more weather news go to our Weather & Climate page or follow the Spain Weather Watch Facebook group for regular updates

 

Images: Aemet