Spain's Summer 2026 Sees Record-Breaking Sea Temperatures, Study Finds
Record Sea Temperatures and Climate Impact in Spain
MADRID, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Sea temperatures around Spain reached record highs this summer, with multiple monitoring stations in the Mediterranean and off Spain's Atlantic coast registering their highest readings, the state port authority Puertos del Estado said on Friday.
Climate Change as the Main Driver
Last month, scientists said that human-caused climate change was the main driver of recent record-breaking sea temperatures around Europe, warning of severe consequences for marine ecosystems and coastal communities.
Notable Temperature Records Across Spain
Recordings in the Mediterranean
- The Dragonera buoy in the Balearic Islands recorded a water temperature of 33.02 degrees Celsius (91.44 degrees Fahrenheit) on August 5, the highest value ever registered in the port authority's buoy network.
- Almost all buoys in the Levante-Balear basin of the Mediterranean set local temperature records during the summer, the authority said.
- Coastal buoys off Tarragona and Barcelona in northeastern Spain registered 30.7 C and 30.5 C, respectively, on August 9.
Records in the Bay of Biscay
- Record temperatures were also registered at several Bay of Biscay buoys in Spain's northern regions. On June 23, the buoy near the northern town of Pasaia recorded 28.4 C. Another buoy, equipped with a temperature sensor since 2006, registered a record 25.27 C on August 12.
Extreme Heat on Land
Heatwave Statistics
- Spain has also experienced extreme heat on land this year, recording 61 days under heatwave conditions across the mainland and Balearic Islands in 2026, the highest number on record and above the previous peak of 41 days in 2022, according to the weather service AEMET.
(Reporting by Emma Pinedo; Editing by Andrei Khalip and Alison Williams)
