The La Palma meteorological station in Pinar del Río province recorded an unprecedented high of 37.6°C on Saturday, shattering a longstanding triple record that had endured for decades.
Humberto Raúl Acosta González, a meteorology expert with the Forecast Department in Pinar del Río and affiliated with the Cuban Institute of Meteorology (INSMET), confirmed this data.
Measured at 6:48 p.m. (daylight saving time) on June 13, this temperature sets a new record for June at La Palma station, an all-time record for the station itself, and the highest ever recorded in Pinar del Río for any June.
Previously, the provincial heat record for June was held by the coastal station at Cabo de San Antonio, with 37.5°C documented on June 29, 1958, a record that stood unchallenged for 68 years.
The new temperature reading barely eclipses this historical mark by a tenth of a degree, which is particularly notable given that it originates from an inland station rather than a coastal one, and it occurred in early June, a time when extreme heat historically peaks in July and August.
Within La Palma station itself, the previous June record was 36.6°C, noted on June 2, 2004, while the historical all-time high for the location was 37.1°C, recorded on April 14, 2020.
The new figure of 37.6°C surpasses both previous records simultaneously.
This occurrence is part of a rising trend of extreme heat in Cuba, which the INSMET had forecasted months earlier, predicting an intensely hot summer in 2026 with maximum temperatures exceeding historical averages.
In May 2026, the intense heat caused public concern, although a Cuban meteorologist clarified that the technical criteria for an official heatwave were not met, as it requires at least 20% of stations to record 37°C or higher for five consecutive days.
Cuba has experienced a surge in thermal records over recent years: in April 2024, Jucarito in Granma province hit 40.1°C, marking the first time a temperature above 40°C was recorded in the country's instrumental history.
The year 2023 was the hottest on record in Cuba, with temperatures averaging 1.38°C above the historical norm.
For this Monday, the INSMET Weather Forecast Center expects maximum temperatures ranging from 31 to 34°C across the country, higher in interior regions, with isolated showers and thunderstorms in the west and east, and nighttime lows between 22 and 25°C.
Understanding Cuba's Record-Breaking Temperatures
What new temperature record was set in Pinar del Río?
Pinar del Río set a new temperature record of 37.6°C, which is the highest ever recorded for the month of June and for the La Palma station overall.
How does this new record compare to the previous one?
The new record of 37.6°C surpasses the previous provincial record from Cabo de San Antonio by just 0.1°C, which was set on June 29, 1958.
What factors contribute to the increasing temperatures in Cuba?
Factors contributing to rising temperatures include climate change and specific weather patterns, with INSMET forecasting hotter than average summers due to these trends.