Meteocat has activated a red alert –the highest possible– in view of the new episode of torrential rain expected in the coming hours in many counties of the coast, the pre-coastal areas, and the northeast of the country. Precipitation has already started to fall during the morning in the Ebro region, and throughout the day –especially in the afternoon– it will spread to many points of the coast, the pre-coastal areas, and the northern half of the country, with some downpours. It will be towards the night, the early hours, and Sunday morning when the peak of the storm is expected. With current maps, the rains could be intense and extraordinary in the northeast, the coast, and the pre-coastal area of Barcelona, with local accumulations that may exceed 200 or 300 l/m² in a few hours, strong winds, and extreme phenomena. Meteocat's alerts are for intense rain and accumulations of more than 40 l/m² in half an hour, 90 l/m² in three hours, and more than 200 l/m² in 24 hours.

The rainstorm affecting the Terres de l'Ebre since yesterday has already left more than 200 l/m² in some cases, as is the case in Santa Bàrbara (Montsià). Also noteworthy are the 138 l/m² in Alcanar. A lot of water has fallen in a few hours, often with torrential intensity, which has caused the sudden rise of rivers, streams, and ravines, and above all, flooding in these areas. In L'Ametlla de Mar (Baix Ebre), 108 l/m² have also been exceeded. And pay attention because the rain will intensify and continue falling in the same area during this Friday morning, even extending towards the Camp de Tarragona, where new downpours may occur. It has also rained heavily in many regions of Castellón and Valencia, where the episode has already left many records above 150 l/m². The Meteocat maintains warnings in the south of the country for intense rain that could leave more than 40 l/m² in just half an hour, or more than 90 l/m² in three hours. Also for accumulations of more than 200 l/m² in 24 hours. The alert is red in the Ebre and Castellón.

This Thursday we will have to be very attentive to the sky again. October begins today with an increase in instability, as showers and thunderstorms will gain ground irregularly in several regions. The main event is expected from midday and during the afternoon, when torrential downpours may occur. The areas most affected will be the Terres de l'Ebre, Castellón, and the coast of Valencia, where between today—especially from the evening onwards—and tomorrow, a period of significant, intense, and persistent rain is expected. The accumulations will be significant and may locally exceed 200 l/m² throughout the episode, with sudden downpours and a risk of flooding. Aemet has activated a red alert in these areas, with extraordinary accumulations that may exceed 150 l/m² in just six hours. However, Meteocat has also placed the Camp de Tarragona, the Penedès, and the Garraf on red alert due to the afternoon downpours.

Temperatures will soar for a few hours, while waiting for more downpours in the coming days.

Showers and storms can leave significant accumulations of water in a short time.

This Tuesday brings the peak of the instability, with a round of downpours and storms that is leaving behind the classic torrential rains of late summer and early autumn, further fueled by sea water that is warmer than it should be. At dawn, it already began to rain in some regions, especially in the center and south of the country, and throughout the morning the bulk of the precipitation has been concentrating on the coast and pre-coast of Barcelona. Where it has rained the most so far is between the south of Anoia, Alt Penedès, and Garraf, with some local accumulations of more than 90 or 100 l/m² in just three hours, which has caused rivers and streams to rise suddenly. This is the case of the Anoia river, which has reached the danger threshold, with a flow that has suddenly risen to 93 m³/s. In these areas, an alert has been sent due to the risk of flooding.

The weekend has been marked by fairly calm weather, with temperatures that have been dropping and which yesterday did not exceed 31 ºC in the warmest areas of Ponent and the Ebro valley. Values are still very high for this time of year, but nothing like the nearly 38 ºC of previous days. After so many days of anticyclones and atypically summery heat, this coming week promises to be much more unsettled and cooler, with rain that will end up making an appearance in practically every part of the country throughout the days, and thermometers that will continue to drop. It seems that autumn, now yes, wants to make itself truly felt.

The heat peaked this Friday with maximums of up to 37.4 ºC at the Riba-roja reservoir and 37 ºC in Vinebre (Ribera d'Ebre) and Aldover (Baix Ebre), but this weekend has started with less heat and the maximum values have remained around 32 or 33 ºC. This Saturday we already noticed an increase in thin clouds, a situation that will repeat on Sunday, when we will also have low coastal clouds. The coming week looks more unsettled and cooler, although still with a generally mild atmosphere.

The heat peaked this Friday with an atypical temperature spike that left values more typical of the height of summer than the first days of autumn, especially in the south and in Ponent. Unchecked heat that reached up to 37.4 ºC at the Riba-roja reservoir and 37 ºC in Vinebre (Ribera d'Ebre), or 37 ºC also in Aldover (Baix Ebre). Furthermore, 35 ºC was exceeded in areas of Ponent, and 34 ºC in parts of the northeast, the Priorat, and the Pre-Pyrenees of Lleida.

Pay attention today to the temperatures, as they will hit a ceiling, with rampant heat that is completely out of place for these dates. The most notable rise will be experienced in inland areas and in the south of the country, with an environment that will be more typical of the peak of summer than of early autumn. Maximums may locally reach 38 ºC in the interior of the Ebro, and the breaking of some heat records cannot be ruled out, for example, in the Pyrenees and the Pre-Pyrenees. The mercury will drop over the weekend, but the environment will remain too warm for the time of year. All this with continued sun and anticyclonic calm, while waiting for the weather to start changing next week.

Temperatures will remain clearly above average, with absolute calm.

Autumn arrived yesterday, but the atmosphere remains very warm and atypically summery in the middle of the day. On Wednesday, many maximums of 27 to 33 °C were recorded again, reaching 34 °C in Ponent and the Ebro valley. And pay attention because between Thursday and Friday, thermometers will rise again and a new heat peak will occur, with values that are runaway for this time of year. Only at night will we remember that we have already entered autumn, as the coolness will be maintained due to the fact that the nights are getting longer, which allows the thermometers to drop for more hours. In fact, today we wake up to an even cooler atmosphere everywhere. All this with sun and calm thanks to the powerful anticyclone that embraces a large part of Europe. The weather maps do not predict changes until next week.

At 02:05 a.m. we officially entered the astronomical autumn. We are changing seasons, but not the weather, since, although we are waking up to cool temperatures in general, today will remain warm with summery air and radiant sun in the middle of the day. An anticyclonic calm that will accompany us for a few more days, as no significant changes are seen until at least next week. Therefore, we will continue for many more days with thermometers above average. Yesterday, summer said goodbye with temperatures that again exceeded 30 °C in many regions, especially in the northeast and inland. In fact, in the interior of the Ebro, temperatures were around 35 °C for another day.

The sun and the calm will continue to dominate, and no significant changes are seen until next week.

The astronomical autumn is here, putting a definitive end to the hottest summer in history since temperature records began. The new season officially starts this Wednesday at 02:05, which is when the equinox takes place, and will last until December 21st, when winter begins.