One Of Europe’s Coldest Winters In 14 Years, Except In Spain, Where February Just Broke 6 Heat Records

While nan Copernicus Climate Change Service confirms that Europe conscionable endured 1 of its 5 warmest winters, nan existent communicative is nan staggering 2.4°C anomaly recorded crossed Spain. As bluish Europe battled its coldest January since 2010, nan Spanish mainland and nan Balearic Islands were already experiencing “tropical” conditions. With February temperatures peaking astatine a spring-like 9.5°C, and immoderate regions breaking six regular power records successful a azygous week, Spain isn’t conscionable pursuing nan world warming trend; it is accelerating past it. For nan millions of residents successful nan Mediterranean, “winter” has officially go a play of nan past.

Spain’s February temperatures roseate sharply compared to past year

According to data from AEMET, February 2026 successful mainland Spain recorded an mean somesthesia of astir 9.5°C, which is 2.4°C supra nan 1991–2020 average. This makes it 1 of nan warmest Februarys connected record.

By comparison, February 2025 already stood supra normal astatine 8.6°C, aliases +1.5°C supra average. The year-on-year summation of astir 0.9°C highlights really quickly temperatures are rising, moreover betwixt consecutive winters. The shape confirms what galore group felt connected nan ground: wintertime 2026 did not conscionable proceed nan warming trend, it accelerated it.

Baleares and Canarias saw moreover stronger anomalies

The somesthesia displacement was moreover much pronounced successful Spain’s land regions. In nan Balearic Islands, including Palma, February 2026 averaged astir 13.2°C, which is 2.9°C supra normal. A twelvemonth earlier, February 2025 averaged astir 11.4°C, meaning a overmuch smaller anomaly. Several monitoring stations, including Palma airport, recorded their warmest February averages successful decades.

In nan Canary Islands, temperatures roseate from astir 15.4°C successful February 2025 to astir 16.5°C successful February 2026, pinch anomalies expanding from +0.5°C to +1.6°C supra normal. These figures show that while mainland Spain was already warm, coastal and land regions knowledgeable moreover much pronounced deviations, reinforcing nan consciousness of an unusually mild winter.

Why Europe still calls this wintertime unusually warm

Despite location differences, Copernicus Climate Change Service classifies nan 2025–2026 wintertime arsenic 1 of nan warmest successful caller decades astatine a broader level.

However, nan European image was not uniform. A notably colder January successful parts of cardinal and eastbound Europe offset immoderate of nan warmth seen successful December and February. As a result, nan seasonal mean crossed Europe appears much moderate, moreover though galore regions, peculiarly successful nan westbound and south, remained good supra normal. This is why Spain’s acquisition feels more extreme than nan continental mean suggests.

How Spain compares pinch different European countries

Spain’s February anomaly of +2.4°C supra mean stands retired erstwhile compared pinch different awesome European countries.

In nan UK, February 2026 temperatures were astir +1.5°C supra average, while Germany’s wide wintertime anomaly was person to +0.3°C supra normal. These figures underline a clear pattern: confederate and occidental Europe knowledgeable stronger warming, while different parts of nan continent saw much mixed conditions. Spain was among nan countries wherever nan warming awesome was astir visible during February itself.

What this intends for regular life successful Spain

For people surviving successful Spain, nan effect of a warmer February goes beyond somesthesia records. Warmer wintertime conditions tin power everything from power usage and heating request to agriculture, early flowering seasons and tourism patterns.

In regions for illustration Andalusia, Valencia and nan Balearic Islands, nan displacement has already been reflected successful earlier vegetation maturation and much spring-like conditions. In bluish regions, specified arsenic Galicia and nan Basque Country, nan alteration has been little utmost but still noticeable compared to erstwhile years.

Spain is warming faster than nan European average

Spain is often experiencing this alteration much intensely. February 2026 was warmer than February 2025 crossed mainland Spain, Baleares and Canarias, continuing a shape of rising temperatures that aligns pinch broader ambiance trends identified by Copernicus.

For expats and residents, this intends that moreover successful winters described arsenic “mild” astatine a European level, Spain whitethorn still acquisition conditions that consciousness unusually lukewarm locally.