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The year 2024 closed as one of Spain’s hottest years on record, with an average temperature of 15°C, making it the third warmest since 1961, according to the national meteorological agency (Aemet: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología ).
The year was marked by record-breaking heatwaves, stark climatic contrasts, and unusual precipitation patterns.
The summer of 2024 was particularly intense, featuring three heatwaves that spanned a total of 22 days. On the hottest days, temperatures soared to 43.5°C in Morón de la Frontera and 43.3°C in Badajoz, according to Aemet’s annual climate report.
The year also saw significant temperature anomalies, with January, August, and November breaking historical records as the warmest months ever recorded. The winter season matched the 2019–2020 record for the hottest winter, and elevated temperatures persisted through all four seasons, particularly in the eastern, central, and southern regions of the peninsula and in the Balearic and Canary Islands.
Precipitation patterns in 2024 were equally dramatic. October was the wettest month in Spain’s recorded history, while November and December ranked among the driest months of the 21st century. Despite these extremes, the year was classified as “wet,” with an average rainfall of 669.1 liters per square meter—105% of the normal average for 1991–2020.
However, the rainfall was unevenly distributed. While the mainland and Balearic Islands experienced rainfall surpluses, the Canary Islands had their driest year since 1961, recording only 138.8 liters of precipitation. In Valencia, an exceptional storm on October 29 caused some areas to receive double their usual rainfall.
In contrast to the heatwaves, cold weather was relatively mild. No official cold waves were recorded in 2024, although there were brief periods of low temperatures between February 23 and March 11. The coldest temperatures of the year were -9.2°C in Soria on January 21 and -8.7°C in Molina de Aragón on December 30.
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