The last precedents of strong or very strong El Niño episodes left worrying data that were exacerbated by the influence of global warming. The super El Niño of 2015-2016 was the most powerful on record, with an oceanic warming index of more than 2.5 ºC. An extraordinary fact that contributed to 2016 being the warmest year recorded worldwide up to then.

The world is looking towards the Pacific with unease. Forecasts from major international climate agencies warn of the probable formation of what has popularly been dubbed a super-Niño over the coming months in this area of the planet. An episode of the El Niño phenomenon much more intense than usual, capable of shaking global climate. Its consequences could range from extreme droughts to torrential rains in different parts of the planet, but above all due to a clear and general rise in temperatures.

El Niño is a natural climate phenomenon that occurs when the surface waters of the equatorial Pacific Ocean warm more than usual. This warming alters the usual large-scale circulation of winds and rainfall. Normally, trade winds push warm water westward in the Pacific, near Indonesia and Australia. But when these winds weaken, the warm water shifts towards the central and eastern Pacific, especially off the coasts of Peru and Ecuador. This causes the sea temperature to rise and alters precipitation.

A weekend begins that will have two different faces in terms of weather. We will start it with the passage of a front associated with an Atlantic low located in the west of the peninsula, which will cause a rather gray day and a general ration of rain that will sweep the entire country from south to north, especially from the afternoon onwards, although during the early morning we have already had local showers in some places. Large quantities are not expected, although some locally intense storm is not ruled out, especially in the Terres de l'Ebre. An umbrella is essential on Saturday, but, on the other hand, on Sunday calm and sun will once again dominate, with only some afternoon showers in the west. Temperatures will begin to rise from then on.

These last hours of Thursday have seen some very localized and irregular showers and storms again, especially in certain parts of the pre-coastal areas, the interior, and the Pyrenees and pre-Pyrenees. Highlights include the 23 l/m² accumulated in Ports or the 13 in Alinyà (Alt Urgell). But above all, there have been more intense and extensive storms all day in the Balearic Islands and the Valencian Country, with local accumulations of more than 70 or 80 l/m² in the Ribera Alta or Marina Alta. And the instability will continue in the coming days. Friday will be a variable day with the risk of new, minor afternoon showers. But all eyes are on Saturday, as an Atlantic low-pressure system will send us a front that could cause a spell of rain that would sweep across all regions from south to north. Nevertheless, the weekend would end with much more calm and a rise in temperatures.

The changing and completely spring-like weather we have been having in recent days will continue for the rest of the week, albeit with nuances. Today, instability will decrease temporarily, with more localized afternoon showers in parts of the Pyrenees, the northeast, and the Ports area, with more sun and calm in the rest. But from Thursday onwards, showers and thunderstorms will gain ground again, and meteorological activity will increase towards the weekend. As for temperatures, they will remain well under control.

The first full week of May has started off very busy. The passage of an instability line with cold air at high altitudes caused showers and storms to gain extent and strength yesterday, affecting a large part of the country. They also reached the coast, although they passed by more lightly. In inland areas and in some corners of the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees, readings of between 20 and 45 l/m² were reached, with 46 l/m² in Belltall (Conca de Barberà), 36 in Alinyà (Alt Urgell), and 30 in Manresa (Bages) standing out. Rain that has clearly lowered the thermometers, and this Tuesday we wake up to a colder atmosphere that makes us have to bundle up more at first light. Both today and for much of the week, this typically spring situation of afternoon showers will be repeated, which will make the phrase true that in May, every day a downpour. All this with temperatures under control.

After a long weekend with many clouds and irregular showers, this first week of May starts with even more unsettled weather. A cold air mass at high altitude, with values close to -25 ºC at 5,500 m altitude, will increase instability. Showers and storms will gain strength and extent this Monday and can appear practically anywhere, especially in the afternoon and evening, and particularly inland. Locally, hailstorms or some hail can occur. And the meteorological situation will continue to be unsettled in the coming days, with the passage of new frontal lines that will keep the sky cloudy and showers. Temperatures will be kept in check, and in the Pyrenees, storms will leave snow at altitudes close to 2,000 m. Throughout Sunday, showers left around 5 l/m² in Ponent, between 10 and 15 in the interior of Montsià and few liters or scattered drops in many other places. But the most significant accumulations were concentrated in the Pyrenees, with up to 32 l/m² in Espot (2,400 m), 23 in Boí (2,500 m), 19 in Ulldeter (2,413 m), 16 in Nuria (1971 m) or 15 in el Pont de Suert.

The passage of a line of instability reactivated showers and irregular storms on Thursday, although they were more irregular and localized than initially forecast. All of this is the prelude to a long May Day weekend that is proving to be very changeable and with new irregular showers in some areas, although nowhere near everywhere. A typically spring instability situation that will continue next week, with temperatures that will be dropping and normalizing.

We are on the eve of a long May Day weekend that is shaping up to be typically spring-like, with instability and a lot of variability. Therefore, the saying will hold true: in May, every day a lightning strike. The influence of a small bulge of cold air will facilitate the growth of powerful cloudiness that will bring irregular storms and showers in various regions, especially in the western half and the north of the country. This Thursday, several regions are on alert for intense rain, especially in Central Catalonia, the eastern Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees, and Lleida. Wherever they fall, some local downpours may occur, with occasional hail or sleet. In fact, yesterday we already had the first scattered showers or mud drizzles, with a variable or overcast sky due to the passage of cloud bands and the presence of suspended dust. Temperatures have remained and will remain high for the dates, although they will tend to drop over the weekend.

Europe is the continent that is warming fastest in the world. This is causing a continued loss of snow and ice and increasingly extreme weather phenomena. In the year 2025 alone, several records derived from the climate crisis were registered across the continent, which caused serious consequences for the societies and ecosystems of all of Europe.

A few days before the end of the month, this April has been exceptionally warm, and we will see if it has left us any heat records. But the weather will undergo changes in the coming days. Today the sky will be variable or overcast, with a risk of some drizzles or light rain accompanied by mud. In the morning they will be more likely, especially in parts of the coast and pre-coast, and in the afternoon more towards the southern face of the Pyrenees and western Pre-Pyrenees. From Thursday and throughout the long May Day weekend, we will be under the effects of a small pocket of cold air that will increase instability. Showers and thunderstorms will gain ground and strength, and will affect more regions, especially in the northern half.

We leave behind a weekend of typically spring weather, with mornings of generalized sunshine and afternoons of showers and thunderstorms in the northern half. A situation that will repeat in the coming days, but with some nuances. Today we wake up with a few drops in the interior that will move away, and from mid-morning the first showers will appear in the north of the country, which will intensify and affect various regions of the Pyrenees, Pre-Pyrenees, and the northern interior until dusk. On Tuesday, thin clouds will increase and afternoon showers will be less widespread. On Wednesday, the cloudiness will be even denser and the downpours could reach other regions. Temperatures will remain stable, with high maximums for the season that will approach 30 °C in Poniente and in the interior of the Ebro valley.

A weekend that will be marked by completely spring-like ingredients begins. Mornings will be calm overall, but in the afternoons, cloudiness will increase, bringing irregular showers and storms to the Pyrenees, Pre-Pyrenees, and nearby areas. In fact, these drizzles will gain extent and strength, and especially on Sunday, they may reach more areas in the northeast and north of Central Catalonia. Locally, there will be some downpours accompanied by hail or sleet, so caution will be necessary if we are in these areas on the weekend, especially if we have planned activities in high mountains. Temperatures will rise and the atmosphere will be warmer, especially on Sunday. All this after a Friday that has already given us many highs of 21 to 26 ºC and some minor drizzles in the Pyrenees.

Temperatures have clearly dropped this Sant Jordi, with a markedly less warm atmosphere and most highs between 20 and 25 °C, far from the more than 30 °C reached in Ponent and the Ebro in recent days. A decrease that has been caused by the strengthening of cooler maritime wind from the east and north-east, which has been strongly felt on the coast, with gusts that have locally exceeded 50 km/h and waves between 1 and 2.5 meters high in some cases. The sun has dominated in most regions, but some afternoon showers have also repeated in the Pyrenees, in the Alt Maresme and the Montseny area, although less significant and extensive than in previous days. These spring showers will repeat on Friday and the weekend in mountainous areas, while in most of the country, sun and calm will continue to dominate. The atmosphere will become warmer again in the coming midday hours.

After a week marked by afternoon downpours and storms with hail and sleet in some regions, this Sant Jordi the weather will not be clear. It will be a pleasant and quite sunny day in most of the country to enjoy the book and rose stalls outdoors, but there will be exceptions. In the morning, some drizzles may occur in the northeast and in the Ebro, and in the afternoon some irregular downpours and storms will be repeated in the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees. All this with a clear drop in temperatures due to the entry of cooler northwesterly winds. A decrease that will be particularly noticeable in the interior and will make the heat much more contained in the middle of the day. All this after storms were repeated this Wednesday, especially in the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees, in the northeast and in the Ebro, while a warm peak was experienced, with maximums of up to 31 or 32 °C in the west and in the interior of the Ebro, highlighting the 32.2 ºC reached in Vinebre (Ribera d'Ebre).

Afternoon storms have lost extent this Tuesday and have concentrated mainly in parts of the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees, where some downpours with hail or sleet have recurred. The heavy hailstorm in Ribes de Freser (Ripollès) stands out, where the accumulated ice thickness has been significant, hindering mobility in the municipality and leaving a completely white landscape. Locally, 20 or 30 l/m² have been exceeded, with the more than 30 that fell in Gisclareny (Berguedà) being noteworthy, and showers will still fall in the north of the country until early evening. All this after the heavy downpours on Monday left an exceptional hailstorm for this time of year in Osona, with stones between 2 and 3 cm in diameter in some cases. Although not a size record, it is the earliest hailstorm with the largest amount of large stones recorded in Catalonia (you will find more details at the end of this information). This is not at all normal outside the usual hailstorm season, which runs from June to September.

We are now at the gates of the Diada de Sant Jordi, the most anticipated and massive cultural event of the year in Catalonia, which causes the streets to be overflowing throughout the country to see the rose and book stalls. An event full of identity and emotions that no one wants to miss. Therefore, the weather forecast takes on special relevance, to know if we can enjoy the outdoors on this day without rain spoiling it. Will it rain this Sant Jordi? Will we have to grab an umbrella or sunglasses?

We have started the week with new showers and afternoon storms that have gained strength and extent. Yesterday they affected quite a few regions, especially in the Pyrenees, the Pre-Pyrenees, the northeast, other areas of the northern half and the Terres de l'Ebre. Some downpours were strong and left between 15 and 30 l/m² or more in the north of the country in a short time, with some hail and sleet. A typically spring situation with calm mornings and afternoon showers in some areas that will continue in the coming days, although the precipitation will clearly lose extent and will be concentrated more towards the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees.