According to the MoMo mortality monitoring system, estimates for the period since May 15 have already exceeded the totals of the two previous most severe seasons: in 2022, the system counted 4,789 heat-related deaths, and in 2023 — 3,035. Since May 15, Spain has had a national plan in place every year to protect health from high temperatures.
July became the second month in the series by number of heat-related deaths: MoMo estimated 2,025 cases then, compared with 1,060 in July 2025. The July record still belongs to 2022, when the system counted 2,217 deaths.
In August, 2,147 heat-related deaths have been estimated so far, and this figure is close to the 2,172 cases in August 2025, which remains the deadliest August in the series. Such data are usually confirmed about a week later.
MoMo is run by Spain’s Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII). The system does not count individual deaths where heat was officially listed as the cause; instead, it builds a statistical estimate of temperature-related mortality based on mortality data and air temperature.
The main impact fell on older people: of the 5,232 estimated deaths, 5,048 were among people over 65, and 3,256 among those over 85, which is 62% of the total. Women account for 60% of all recorded cases.
Spain’s state meteorological agency AEMET notes that July 2026 was the warmest in the historical series, tied with 2022, and June was the second warmest since observations began. According to AEMET’s forecast, in the first days of September temperatures in parts of Spain will be higher than usual for this time of year.
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