Summer 2026 in Europe is expected to be one of the harshest in recent decades. Weather services and climate analysts are forecasting temperatures above 40 degrees, frequent heatwaves and an increased number of tropical nights - when the nighttime cooldown simply doesn't come. For the Balkans, which already lives through this almost every summer, the forecast is particularly serious.

The main factor is El Niño - the climate phenomenon of warming Pacific Ocean waters. According to Severe Weather Europe, this time El Niño is developing faster and more strongly than expected. Submarine anomalies show rapid shifts in oceanic and atmospheric systems, which directly affect European weather.

What matters is that this isn't just a „warm news headline". The forecasts for Macedonia show temperatures that may reach 42-43 degrees across the Balkans, with frequent waves lasting 7-10 days each. That is a health-risk scenario for the elderly, for children and for anyone with cardiovascular issues.

For Macedonia that means an extra strain on the electricity grid. Air conditioners and fridges will work harder, which at the same time means higher consumption. ELEM and MEPSO are already planning for the energy peaks, but nobody is talking about what happens on an August afternoon when it is 41 degrees and the power goes out for ten minutes. Balconies from Aerodrom to Karpoš will then be on the same level as the streets of Delhi during a heatwave.

Second layer - agriculture. Macedonian farmers, who battle drought every year, will battle even more this one. Vegetables, which are the base of the Macedonian diet and an export product, will be at risk. The price of tomatoes and peppers in August could hit records. And then, while we're paying 5 euros a kilo for peppers, the EU will have European funds to compensate its farmers. Macedonian ones - will be waiting for the Bulgarian veto to pass before they get anything.

And for anyone planning a summer holiday: summer 2026 may be the time when holidays become a new form of stress. Hotels along the Montenegrin coast are already warning about possible power cuts. The Greek islands have the same problems. So does Turkey. And with all of that, „relaxing" becomes a luxury that requires AC, a generator and a plan B for both of those.