New temperature record: 46°C in Spain. Poland will also see heat from Wednesday

The beginning of summer holidays in Europe has brought heatwaves more typical of midsummer. Spain has already set a new June temperature record, and tennis players starting their matches at Wimbledon today are in for a double challenge. Health services are warning of risks, particularly to tourists.

Temperature record in Spain

Spanish media have dubbed the town of El Granado in the Huelva province, in the southwest of the country, the new frying pan of Spain. On Saturday afternoon, the small town of just over 500 residents recorded 46°C – a historic temperature record for June across the entire country. This breaks the previous record of 45.2°C set in Seville… 60 years ago.

It was also hot in other parts of Spain. In Montoro, Córdoba, thermometers hit 44°C, and in Seville, temperatures exceeded 43°C. In the latter city, Sunday morning began with a minimum temperature of over 28°C.

Spain’s meteorological agency Aemet warns that the extreme heat will persist until Tuesday, and the rest of the week is unlikely to bring the longed-for relief. Today, over a thousand Spanish cities are forecasted to face high health risks due to the heat. Sadly, the first victims have already appeared – on Sunday, the body of a 51-year-old municipal cleaner was found in Barcelona. She died from heat exhaustion.

🌡️Este domingo se han superado los 44 °C en localidades de Badajoz, Huelva y Sevilla.

Pero es destacable el calor nocturno: esta próxima medianoche se superarán los 32 a 34 ºC en zonas del nordeste, centro y sur de la Península, así como en el sur de Gran Canaria. pic.twitter.com/0emNy6804o

— AEMET (@AEMET_Esp) June 29, 2025

A dangerous start to the summer

Extremely high temperatures are also affecting other parts of Europe, making it difficult for tourists to follow through with holiday plans. On Sunday, more than two-thirds of Portugal was under a high heat and fire risk zone, and thermometers in Lisbon showed 42°C.

Temperatures above 40°C are also plaguing Italy, where several regions have already banned outdoor work during the hottest hours of the day. The Italian Ministry of Health has issued the highest heat alert in most major tourist cities, including Rome, Venice, Milan, and Naples.

In France, Marseille authorities decided to offer free access to all city pools, while in Greece, high temperatures last week already sparked the first wildfires. On Thursday, two seaside towns near Athens, Palaia Fokaia and Thymari, went up in flames, forcing residents to evacuate to a local beach.

Interestingly, the heat isn’t limited to the places where we would normally expect it. The BBC reports that new temperature records may be set today in several regions of the UK. The heat that has persisted for several days is expected to peak, with thermometers in Greater London and Bedfordshire possibly hitting 34–35°C. The Wimbledon tennis tournament, which begins today, could become the hottest in history.

Heatwave approaching Poland

High temperatures are on their way here as well. According to the forecast from IMGW-PIB, thermometers in the southwest of Poland may already exceed 30°C tomorrow. On Wednesday, maximum temperatures across most of the country are expected to reach 30–34°C, with slightly cooler conditions only along the coast.

Thursday will be the toughest day – even in the Tricity area, temperatures are expected to hit 30°C, while the central part of the country could reach up to 35°C. At the same time, a wave of rainfall is expected to move in from the northeast, bringing thunderstorms. We will finally get some relief from the heat over the weekend, when maximum temperatures across most of Poland will range between 21–25°C.

Unfortunately, all signs point to summer holidays in Europe soon becoming more of a curse than a joy. Instead of sightseeing, sunbathing, and hiking, we may find ourselves hiding in air-conditioned buildings. The phrase new temperature record may soon lose its shock value entirely.