Tunisia says 2026 summer hottest on record

Tunisia's summer this year was its hottest on record, the country's weather authority said Tuesday, following multiple heatwaves, water shortages and power cuts.

"The summer of 2026 was ranked the hottest in Tunisia since 1950," the year temperature records began, the National Meteorological Institute said.

The average temperature was about 2.9 degrees Celsius higher than the previous record, it added.

Although accustomed to scorching heat, Tunisia experienced a particularly gruelling summer in 2026, with July and August marked by "intense and prolonged heatwaves", the authority said.

Scientists attribute these episodes to climate change.

This summer also saw persistently high nighttime temperatures, the agency added.

The highest temperature was recorded in the central city of Kairouan, which reached 49.7 degrees Celsius in mid-July.