Spain's Highest Recorded Temperature: 47.4°C at Montoro, July 2022

Spain's official all-time heat record was set on July 13, 2022 at Montoro, Córdoba (Andalusia): 47.4°C (117.3°F).

Record Context

• Previous Record: 47.3°C — same station, Montoro, July 12, 2022 (previous day)
• Previous National Record: 47.2°C — Murcia, July 4, 1994
• Station: AEMET (Agencia Estatal de Meteorología) automatic station, 180m elevation, Guadalquivir Valley
• Heatwave: "Heatwave Zoe" — first named heatwave in Spain (pilot naming project)

Geographic Factors

• Guadalquivir Valley: Southwest-oriented, traps hot air, foehn effect from Sierra Morena
• Montoro Microclimate: Urban heat island + valley geometry + dry soil + clear skies
• Andalusian Pattern: 9 of Spain's 10 highest temps recorded in Andalusia (Córdoba, Seville, Jaén provinces)

Measurement Standards

• Stevenson screen (1.5m height, ventilated, white)
• WMO-compliant siting
• Automated 1-minute averages
• Verified by AEMET & WMO

Climate Change Signal

• Spain's 10 hottest years all post-2000
• Summer 2022: Hottest on record for Spain (+2.2°C anomaly)
• Heatwave frequency/duration/intensity increasing 3x since 1980s
• 47°C+ threshold: Only 3 days in recorded history (all July 2022)

Global Context

World record: 56.7°C (Death Valley, 1913). European record: 48.8°C (Sicily, 2021). Spain's 47.4°C ranks among Europe's highest reliably measured temperatures.