Sea temperatures around Spain hit record highs in the summer of 2026, with buoys in the Mediterranean and Atlantic coast reporting historic readings. The Dragonera buoy peaked at 33.02 °C on August 5, and multiple stations across the Levante-Balear basin and the Bay of Biscay set local records. Scientists attribute the trend mainly to human-caused climate change and warn of risks to marine ecosystems and coastal communities.
Spain's Seas Reach Record Highs in Summer 2026 as Buoys Log Historic Temperatures
FILE PHOTO: Smoke rises from a forest fire as people cool-off at Orzan Beach ahead of a total solar eclipse at sunset, in A Coruna, Galicia, Spain, August 12, 2026. REUTERS/Maria Alejandra Cardona/File Photo
MADRID, Sept 11 (Reuters) — Sea temperatures surrounding Spain climbed to unprecedented levels this summer, with numerous monitoring stations in the Mediterranean and off the Atlantic coast recording their highest readings on record, the state port authority Puertos del Estado said on Friday.
Key measurements:
- The Dragonera buoy in the Balearic Islands recorded a water temperature of 33.02 °C (91.44 °F) on August 5 — the highest value ever observed across the port authority's buoy network.
- Almost all buoys in the Levante-Balear basin of the Mediterranean set local temperature records over the summer, the authority reported.
- Coastal buoys off Tarragona and Barcelona registered 30.7 °C and 30.5 °C, respectively, on August 9.
- Several buoys in the Bay of Biscay along Spain's northern coast recorded new highs: the buoy near Pasaia reached 28.4 °C on June 23, and another buoy with a temperature sensor in place since 2006 recorded 25.27 °C on August 12.
Scientific Context and Concerns
Scientists warned last month that human-caused climate change is the principal driver behind the recent wave of record-breaking sea temperatures across Europe. They caution that prolonged marine heat can harm ecosystems, disrupt fisheries, increase harmful algal blooms, and intensify stress on coastal communities and infrastructure.
Heat on Land
On land, Spain also experienced exceptional heat in 2026. The national weather service AEMET reported 61 days under heatwave conditions across mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands this year — the highest total on record, well above the previous peak of 41 days in 2022.
(Reporting by Emma Pinedo; Editing by Andrei Khalip and Alison Williams)
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