Spain is in the grip of a rare autumn heatwave. Temperatures have soared to 37ºC in the north, and warnings are out for several regions. Meteorologists say the heat will stick around well into October, pushing back the start of winter.
Ourense is set to reach 37ºC this week. That’s a number you’d expect in August, not at the end of September. Autumn has barely started, but Spain is already facing its third stretch of unusual heat this month. The Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (AEMET) says temperatures are running 5ºC above normal for this time of year. In the north, the difference is even bigger.
Four autonomous communities are under weather warnings. Extremadura, Cantabria, and Galicia are on yellow alert for high temperatures. The north, which usually escapes late-season heat, is now stuck with dry, stifling air. In Galicia—A Coruña, Ourense, and Pontevedra—AEMET has issued yellow warnings. The Canary Islands are also under alert, showing just how widespread this heatwave is.
According to RTVE, autumn 2026 in Spain is expected to be warmer than usual, following a record-breaking summer, with temperatures in many regions still significantly above average.
This heat isn’t going away soon. Jorge Rey, a young meteorologist known for his Cabañuelas-based forecasts, says summer-like weather could last through September and maybe into November. He says, "Until December we do not expect a truly cold and wintry spell," so the first real snowfall may come later than normal. AEMET’s own forecasts back this up, expecting the warm spell to last at least several more days.
Rain is still scarce. A few showers might show up on Sunday, but the main outlook is for more dry, hot days. Some northern areas could see highs up to 39ºC. Even as October nears, the models show little change. The heat hangs on, and it still feels like summer. Official bulletins say a strong anticyclone is keeping skies clear and rain weak in the north. There’s no sign of a real cooldown yet.
The first week of October might bring a small drop in highs, but it will still feel too warm for the season. Jorge Rey predicts a "very warm autumn in Spain," with the heat stretching across the mainland and islands. He also says winter 2026 could be milder than usual, with real cold not arriving until December.
AEMET has officially highlighted that this is not an isolated event but part of a broad September heat anomaly, with temperatures in southern Galicia, Extremadura, and inland Andalusia reaching 34–36ºC, and some areas recording up to 38ºC. The agency also warns of a high and, in some places, extreme risk of wildfires due to the combination of heat, low humidity, and lack of rainfall.
What’s driving this heat? It’s a mix of things. El Niño and warmer Pacific waters are making the east and north drier. The west and south should get more humidity and, later, heavier rain. Rey points to mid-November for the first big storms, especially in the west and south. He marks November 14 as a likely date for major rainfall.
For now, the heat keeps coming. In the south, temperatures could hit 38.5ºC. A strong anticyclone is blocking cooler air and keeping rain away. Murcia and Alicante are set for even more intense heat. The Canary Islands may get episodes of calima as October starts.
There’s a small hope for relief. Between October 10 and 12, during the Puente del Pilar holiday, showers and cooler air could move in from the west. Thunderstorms might hit the Mediterranean coast and bring some relief to the north. But this break will be brief. Temperatures are expected to bounce back to abnormal highs by the end of the holiday.
By mid-October, things might finally shift. AEMET’s latest report and Rey’s forecast both say a mass of African air will push temperatures up around October 12. After that, more clouds and weak rain could reach the north. The real change is expected around October 23–24, when the anticyclone weakens and storms start to move in. November should bring cooler, wetter weather, with the first DANAs (isolated high-altitude depressions) shaking up the pattern and getting Spain ready for winter.
Mountain areas could see the first real snow and frost as autumn turns to winter, but these will likely come later than usual. For now, heat is the main story. Spain’s autumn is breaking the usual pattern, and the country faces a long summer that just won’t end. This ongoing anomaly isn’t just a weather oddity—it’s a clear sign that climate patterns in Spain are changing, and both residents and officials will have to adapt.
