Spain has reached a grim milestone in 2026, recording 5,232 deaths attributable to high temperatures so far this year. This figure represents the highest number of heat-related fatalities since the Daily Mortality Monitoring (MoMo) system, operated by the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), began tracking such data in 2015.
Provisional data available as of Monday indicates that August alone accounted for 2,147 of these deaths. While this number remains subject to confirmation over the coming week, it approaches the 2,172 deaths recorded in August 2025, which currently stands as the deadliest August in the system's history.
The MoMo system does not rely on individual death certificates identifying heat as the specific cause. Instead, it generates statistical estimates of mortality based on the relationship between recorded deaths and temperature variations. Despite the record-breaking nature of these 2026 figures, they remain below the estimated 13,000 deaths linked to the historic 2003 heatwave, a crisis that prompted the Spanish Health Ministry to implement its national heat-prevention plan.
Vulnerable populations, particularly the elderly, have borne the brunt of the heat. Of the 5,232 total deaths, 5,048 involved individuals aged 65 or older. Specifically, those over 85 years old accounted for 62% of the total, with 3,256 deaths. Furthermore, women represented 60% of the total mortality count.
This year’s summer has been defined by extreme heat, with the national meteorological agency AEMET reporting that July 2026 tied with 2022 as the warmest in the historical series. June also ranked as the second-warmest month since records began. As the season transitions, AEMET forecasts suggest that temperatures may remain above average in parts of Spain during the first days of September.
