July 2026 matched July 2022 as the hottest July since nationwide records began, with an average temperature of 25.7°C across the country, including the normally cooler north. At the same time, it became the driest July since records began in 1961, with just 4.3 litres of rain per square metre falling nationwide. While the heat is far from over, the weather pattern is becoming more changeable, bringing a growing risk of thunderstorms to parts of Spain during the first half of August. Storms likely across northern and eastern Spain this weekThat move is already becoming apparent. Over the coming days, thunderstorms are expected to continue affecting northern Spain, with some of the strongest storm cells extending into northern parts of the Costa Blanca and Valencia.