Barcelona registered its hottest June since meteorological records began over a century ago, Spain’s national weather service confirmed.
The Can Fabra Observatory documented an average temperature of 26 degrees Celsius (78 degrees Fahrenheit) throughout the month, surpassing the previous record of 25.6°C set in 2003. The observatory also recorded a single-day high of 37.9°C (100°F) on Monday, the highest June temperature ever measured at this station.
The city’s climatic resilience, typically afforded by its location between Mediterranean coastal breezes and protective hills in Spain’s northeastern corner, proved insufficient against this historic thermal surge. Catalonia’s regional meteorological service reported multiple stations exceeding 40°C during the heatwave’s peak, with the observatory’s century-long dataset revealing an accelerating warming trend.
The heatwave forms part of a broader pattern affecting the entire continent, with southern Europe particularly impacted. France’s national weather agency Météo-France placed several departments under its highest red alert, including the Paris region where temperatures reached 40°C (104°F). The Eiffel Tower summit closed until Thursday, while over 1,300 schools partially or fully shut down nationwide.
Italy’s Health Ministry issued heat warnings for 17 major cities, with regional governments in Sicily and Liguria banning outdoor work during peak hours.
Portugal witnessed its own temperature milestones, with Mora recording 46.6°C (116°F) on 29 June. Though Lisbon’s forecast of 33°C (91°F) approached seasonal norms, interior regions still anticipated peaks of 43°C (109°F).
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, speaking from Seville where temperatures approached 42°C (108°F), declared:
Extreme heat is no longer a rare event – it has become the new normal. The planet is getting hotter & more dangerous – no country is immune.
