Portugal breaks national May temperature record with 40.3°C (104.5°F) in Mora
Portugal set a new national May temperature record on May 27, 2026, after Mora reached 40.3°C (104.5°F) during an early-season heatwave, according to the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA). The reading surpassed the previous May extreme of 40°C (104°F), recorded at Pinhão on May 30, 1953, and matched at Termas de Monfortinho on May 30 and 31, 2001.
Satellite image of the Iberian Peninsula acquired at 15:30 UTC on May 27, 2026. Marker shows Mora, Portugal, where temperatures reached 40.3°C (104.5°F), setting a new national May temperature record. Credit: EUMETSAT/Meteosat, Zoom Earth, The Watchers
Alvega recorded 40.1°C (104.2°F) on the same day, followed by Reguengos with 39.1°C (102.4°F), Évora and Santarém/Fonte Boa with 38.3°C (100.9°F), Avis/Benavila with 38.2°C (100.8°F), and Ansião with 37.7°C (99.9°F).
The agency reported 22 new station maximum-temperature records during the heatwave period, with one record set on May 26 and the remaining records set on May 27. The heatwave began on May 20, with the strongest conditions affecting Alentejo and the Tagus Valley.
The Portuguese record followed other national and regional May records during the same western European heat episode. In the UK, the Met Office said 35.1°C (95.2°F) at Kew Gardens on May 26 provisionally broke the UK May and spring temperature record for the second consecutive day, after 34.8°C (94.6°F) was recorded at the same site on May 25.
In France, Météo-France data showed May 26 was the country’s hottest May day on record, with a national average temperature of 24.9°C (76.8°F), followed by station records including 37.8°C (100°F) at Angoulême-La Couronne on May 28.
The heat episode has also produced confirmed life-safety impacts outside Portugal. At least 11 open-water deaths were reported across the UK during the record late-May heat, while French authorities reported seven deaths to the heat episode, including five drownings and two deaths during athletic events.
References:
1 Heatwave in mainland Portugal, May 2026 – IPMA – May 28, 2026
I'm a dedicated researcher, journalist, and editor at The Watchers. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, I specialize in hard science news, focusing on extreme weather, seismic and volcanic activity, space weather, and astronomy, including near-Earth objects and planetary defense strategies. You can reach me at teo /at/ watchers.news.
To avoid death by these punishments from God natural disasters heatwaves wildfires floods storms strong earthquakes more mag 7 earthquake tsunami volcano meteorites Hantavirus Ebola and viruses in Europe in Asia in Africa in Pacific Ocean in North and South America Pope Leo non-Muslims to convert to Islam and Muslims to apply the Quran 100% immediately, May 30, 2026.