France is not the only country affected by the heat dome that sent temperatures soaring. The Iberian Peninsula and Italy are also sweltering. In Spain, the heatwave is historic. On Saturday, June 28, the Andalusian city of El Granado, in the south of the country, recorded a temperature of 46°C, an all-time record for the month of June, according to the Spanish meteorological agency AEMET. The previous record, set in 1965 in Seville, was 45.2°C. The heatwave, which was initially expected to end on Tuesday or Wednesday, is now forecast to continue until Thursday, July 3. Temperatures above 36°C are expected across much of the country, exceeding 38°C in the northeast, center and south, particularly in the Guadalquivir and Guadiana valleys.

Tropical nights have also set in, with minimum temperatures above 25°C along the Mediterranean coast, in Castile and in Andalusia. Twenty Spanish regions remain on orange or yellow alert, from the Basque Country to the Community of Madrid, through Extremadura and Catalonia. Two deaths occurred on Saturday, possibly due to heatstroke – one worker in Cordoba and a municipal employee in Barcelona – reigniting concerns over worker protection during heatwaves. Trade unions called for strict enforcement of preventive measures. In Spain, a decree in force since May 2023 requires employers to adapt schedules and working conditions in the event of extreme heat, to ensure the safety of exposed employees, especially those working outdoors.

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