Spain records deadliest May for heat since records began

Spain recorded its highest number of heat-related deaths ever for the month of May this year, with 101 fatalities linked to high temperatures, according to estimates published Wednesday by the Health Ministry.

The figure is the highest for May since records began in 2015 and is 3.6 times higher than the average number of heat-related deaths recorded during the month over the past decade, the ministry said.

A late-May heatwave brought record temperatures to 23 Spanish provinces, according to national meteorological agency AEMET, which also noted that parts of the Mediterranean and Cantabrian seas recorded their warmest May temperatures since records began.

The mortality data was released as Spain launched its 2026 national heat prevention plan, which aims to reduce illness and deaths associated with extreme temperatures.

According to the Health Ministry, an estimated 27,564 people died from causes linked to high temperatures between 2015 and 2025. The deadliest year was 2022, with 4,789 deaths, followed by 2025 with 3,832.

Health authorities warned that the risk of death rises by between 9.1% and 10.7% for every degree Celsius (1.8 F) that temperatures exceed health-risk thresholds.

The ministry said people over the age of 75 remain the group most vulnerable to extreme heat, while young children, pregnant women and people with chronic illnesses also face elevated risks.

Looking ahead, AEMET forecasts a high probability of hotter than average temperatures in June, July and August across Spain, particularly in the country's north, along the Mediterranean coast and in the Balearic Islands.