Average surface water temperatures in the Balearic Sea reached record highs on 25 out of 39 days between July 1 and August 8, according to data released by Spain's State Meteorological Agency.
The State Meteorological Agency, known as Aemet, reported that water temperatures were higher than in any other year for those same dates since at least 1940 across 64 percent of the analyzed period.
Data for the analysis was gathered from the Copernicus Climate Change Service, the climate monitoring arm of the European Union. The figures cover the stretch of the Mediterranean Sea situated between the Balearic Islands archipelago and the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.
Record sea surface temperatures
Rather than occurring in brief, isolated heat episodes, the record temperatures persisted continuously throughout July and into the first days of August. Sea surface temperatures in the Balearic Sea usually average around 26 degrees Celsius during this period, but measurements this summer reached values close to 29 degrees Celsius.
A comparison chart released by Aemet tracking water temperatures from 1940 through 2025 showed that levels throughout much of July and early August 2026 consistently hovered near or above historical maximums.
Severe weather warnings across Spain
The period of exceptionally warm sea waters has coincided with widespread atmospheric instability across Spain on Saturday. Aemet activated weather warnings for heavy rainfall and storms affecting areas throughout the Balearic archipelago and all autonomous communities across mainland Spain.
Meteorologists forecast showers that could become locally very intense, accompanied by large hail and strong wind gusts. The agency warned that the heavy precipitation could trigger localized flooding in some locations.
Regional impacts and fire hazards
The islands of Ibiza and Formentera, which form the Pitiuses island group within the Balearics, were excluded from Saturday weather warnings. However, Aemet reported a 55 percent probability of rainfall returning to the Pitiuses on Friday of next week.
While the forecasted rain is expected to reduce wildfire hazards in parts of central and eastern Spain, fire risk remains at very high or extreme levels across western and southern regions, as well as along the Mediterranean coast.
