Portugal records hottest June day ever amid deadly heatwave
According to Portugal’s Directorate-General for Health (DGS), 69 excess deaths were recorded during the heatwave, most of them people aged 85 or older.
Portugal experienced its hottest June day on record as a blistering heatwave peaked on Sunday, June 29, with temperatures hitting 46.6ºC in Mora, in the district of Évora.
According to the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), this marks a new all-time high for the month of June in mainland Portugal.
While it falls just short of the country’s absolute record, 47.3ºC recorded in Amareleja, Beja, on August 1, 2003, the recent figure surpasses the previous June record of 44.9ºC set in Alcácer do Sal in 2017.
Scorching Conditions
IPMA had forecasted the extreme heat due to a mass of hot, dry air from North Africa moving across the country between June 28 and 30.
During this period, 22 of Portugal’s 170 weather stations registered temperatures above 40ºC, and around one-third matched or broke their previous June records.
On Saturday, June 28, Alvega in the Santarém district recorded 45.4ºC, and in Portalegre, an overnight minimum of 31.5ºC was reported, the highest nighttime low ever recorded there, making rest nearly impossible.
In total, 34% of IPMA stations recorded their hottest June temperatures ever. Temperatures exceeded 44°C in locations such as Alvalade, Coruche, Tomar, Pegões, Avis, Mértola, and Beja.
The meteorological setup responsible combined a high-pressure ridge from the Azores extending to the Bay of Biscay, while a low-pressure system from North Africa brought in extremely hot, dry air over the Iberian Peninsula.
Last week’s intense heatwave in Portugal didn’t just bring record‑breaking temperatures: it also triggered some unusual weather phenomena.
Along the coast, a striking roll cloud, an elongated, cylindrical formation, appeared over the shoreline and was widely shared on social media.
In contrast to the sweltering heat, sudden hailstorms and heavy showers swept inland, offering brief respite but also accentuating the volatility of the weather.
These dramatic swings, from blistering sun to fierce storms, highlight the growing unpredictability of Portugal’s climate.
Health Impact
The extreme conditions had deadly consequences.
According to Portugal’s Directorate-General for Health (DGS), 69 excess deaths were recorded during the heatwave between June 27 and July 2, most of them people aged 85 or older.
These figures are still preliminary, and the DGS has warned that the final number may increase as more data is analysed.
The DGS highlighted the well-known negative health impacts of extreme heat, including dehydration and the worsening of chronic illnesses.
On June 30, daily deaths jumped to 358, up from 287 just four days earlier, coinciding with the peak of the heatwave.
This is not a new trend: a study by Portugal’s National Institute of Health (INSA) reported 715 excess deaths during a heatwave between July 22 and August 4, 2024, which was also worsened by COVID-19 circulation.
Climate change driving the trend
IPMA meteorologist Alessandro Marraccini warned that such events are increasingly likely due to climate change:
“These events will grow more intense over time if we don’t curb carbon emissions,” he said.
This view is echoed by the World Health Organization, which estimates that extreme heat already kills over 175,000 people annually in Europe.
That number could increase by 100,000 deaths per year in the EU alone if global temperatures rise by more than 2ºC above pre-industrial levels.
“This week, millions of Europeans are exposed to dangerous levels of heat stress,” warned Samantha Burgess, deputy director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service.
A Second Heatwave in Less Than a Month
This was already the second heatwave in less than a month to hit Portugal in 2025.
The most recent one affected 59% of the territory, particularly inland areas of the North, Centre, Alentejo, and Algarve.
According to IPMA climatologist Vanda Cabrinha, “last year by this time, we had already experienced six heatwaves.”
IPMA’s June bulletin confirms that the month was “exceptionally hot and dry”, the third hottest June since records began in 1931 and the fourth driest.
A study led by geographer António Saraiva Lopes warned that, even when nighttime outdoor temperatures drop to around 20ºC, indoor temperatures can remain above 28ºC, especially in poorly ventilated urban neighborhoods, raising serious health concerns.
Weather Outlook
Looking ahead, IPMA forecasts clear or mostly clear skies and more typical nortada winds in the coming days, with coastal highs between 23ºC and 30ºC, and interior temperatures hovering around 35ºC.
Climate is changing. The axis of the sun is changing and there's F*** all we can do about it.