Catalonia reached or exceeded 35 °C yesterday for the first time this year, and even 36 °C was recorded in very localized areas, with 36.1 °C standing out in Seròs (Segrià). Several municipalities in Ponent and the southern interior surpassed this mark of 35 °C, such as Torroja del Priorat, Albesa (Noguera) or Alcarràs, Alfarràs and Gimenells (Segrià). A premature heatwave that has caused, once again, the full summer atmosphere to arrive several weeks early. A weekend with a fully summery atmosphere awaits us, with highs around 35 °C in the warmest areas of the country and the first tropical nights. On the coast, the mercury will be clearly more restrained, and some fog or low clouds will appear, but it will be more muggy.

The heat has taken a leap forward in recent hours, with generally very warm conditions. Yesterday, temperatures exceeded 30 ºC in more inland regions, especially in Ponent and the Ebre interior. Notably, Alcarràs (Segrià) reached 34.4 ºC, and municipalities like Vilanova de Segrià and Seròs (Segrià) or Tàrrega (Urgell) hit 34 ºC. These are the highest values of the year so far. Temperatures that will rise a little more today, with a warm peak that will extend beyond the weekend. We can expect full summer days, with a premature heatwave completely out of place for May, when there is still a month to go until the official arrival of astronomical summer.

Temperatures continue to rise non-stop. Today we wake up to more moderate coolness, after yesterday's temperatures already exceeded 30 °C in more parts of Ponent and the Ebro interior. Thermometers that will climb even higher this Thursday and will peak between Friday and the weekend, with values between 5 and 10 degrees above the average for the time of year in many cases. A full summer atmosphere awaits us, with very advanced heat, which in recent years is starting to become common. Many highs are expected between 27 and 33 °C on the pre-coast and inland, especially from Friday onwards, but up to 35 °C or locally more in Ponent and the Ebro valley. We will have to sweat profusely and suddenly retrieve all the summer clothes from the back of the closet. The mercury will be more held back on the coast due to the effect of a still cold sea. A mass of warm air will combine with the anticyclone, with calm and sun in general.

A small cold air trough at high altitude will finish crossing our latitudes during the early hours and morning of this Monday, with instability and new irregular showers and storms in various regions. During the morning, downpours will fall in parts of the northern third and the coast and pre-coast, which will extend to more areas in the afternoon. Thunderstorms have occurred in recent hours, especially in the Pyrenees, Pre-Pyrenees, and northeast regions, with more abundant amounts in Berguedà, northern Osona, or Ripollès, where 10 to 20 l/m² have accumulated in a few minutes. Highlights include the 32 l/m² that fell yesterday in Orís, 28 in Montesquiu, or 22 in Cantonigròs. But this instability will not have much continuity, as throughout the week anticyclonic calm and sun will gradually impose themselves, with increasing heat after the significant cooling of recent days.

The passage of a polar front has caused a significant cooling, with an atmosphere more typical of March than May. Temperatures have been between 3 and 8 degrees below the average for the season, and snow has fallen in the Pyrenees below 1,400 m, leaving wintery, postcard-like landscapes at medium and high altitudes. In Montseny, snow was also anecdotally observed at the highest elevations. Yesterday, showers and storms intensified in the afternoon in the center and north of the country. Locally they were strong and accompanied by hail, short-lived, and accumulated little water: most left between 2 and 8 l/m². Even so, in some cases these figures were exceeded: 18 l/m² at Lac Redon (2,245 m, Vall d'Aran) or 12 at Santa Coloma de Farners (Selva) stand out.

The weather continues to be unsettled, and this Friday a polar front will arrive, which will accentuate instability and cause temperatures to hit rock bottom, with a very cool atmosphere, more typical of early spring than mid-May. Thermometers will be between 3 and 8 degrees below the average for the season, with the vast majority of maximums below 20 ºC. A drop that will contrast with the 25 ºC reached today on the Barcelona coast and the Costa Dorada due to the reheated wind from between mistral and west. There will also be a late snowfall in the Pyrenees, with a snowline that will drop below 1,500 m.

We are already halfway through May, but the atmosphere on Thursday and especially on Friday will be more typical of early spring than of these dates. We continue immersed in a corridor of polar north winds that, in addition to bringing freshness, maintains pronounced instability. On Thursday, rain is expected in the northeast and the Pyrenees, and on Friday a new front will bring more showers and storms and cause temperatures to hit rock bottom, with values between 3 and 8 degrees below average. Too much coolness for the time of year, which will persist over the weekend, although with fewer showers. However, next week thermometers will start to rise again. All this after the showers were more local and concentrated in the northeast and the Pyrenees this Wednesday, with 7 l/m² falling in the city of Girona and 3 in Vall d'en Bas (Garrotxa) standing out. In any case, nothing to do with the strong storms, hailstorms and hail from Tuesday in many regions (you will find the most outstanding data and images from Tuesday's episode at the end of this information).

Instability flared up again yesterday, with a new round of showers and strong, irregular afternoon storms in many areas. In some cases, there were real downpours accompanied by hail or small hailstones (you will find the most notable images and data from this episode at the end of this information). The weather will remain unsettled in the coming days. Both Wednesday and Thursday will see a lot of cloudiness in the northeast and on the north face of the Pyrenees, with showers falling in these areas. On the other hand, there will be more sun in the south and in the west, where the mistral wind will be blowing. What we will notice most in the coming days will be the drop in temperatures. A clear cooling that will bottom out between Friday and the weekend, with values clearly below average and more typical of late March or early April than mid-May. The snowline may drop to 1,500 m or below from Friday in the Pyrenees. All of this will be the result of the anticyclonic block in the Atlantic area, which will facilitate the arrival of low-pressure systems and cold air of polar origin to Central Europe and our Mediterranean region.

Today instability will clearly increase again. The low pressure system from the western Iberian Peninsula will send us a new unstable line that, along with cold air at high altitudes, will cause a new series of irregular showers and storms that could occur in practically any location during the afternoon – also on the coast –, locally with intensity and hail. Civil Protection has activated the Inuncat plan alert for this episode. And in the coming days, showers will be repeated in various regions, especially in the northeast and the Pyrenees. Temperatures will begin to drop, and by mid-week the cooling will be noticeable, with values below what would be expected for this time of year. All this after yesterday the week started with much calm and sun in most regions, with only afternoon showers concentrated in the Pyrenees and in the north of the Girona regions. Maximum temperatures peaked and ranged between 22 and 27 ºC in most cases.

We leave behind a weekend of very different weather, with a rainy Saturday afternoon in many places and a sunny Sunday, at least during the first half of the day. During the afternoon, cloudiness will progressively increase and from sunset onwards, showers will fall in the western half and in other nearby regions, not reaching the eastern half of the country. All this on the eve of a week that will begin gently, but which will set us back a few weeks in terms of temperature.

The weekend began with weather more typical of the British Isles than of our home, with the passage of a front associated with an Atlantic low pressure system located in the western peninsula that left rain in many regions during the second half of Saturday, but this situation has changed radically. This Sunday calm and sun will once again dominate and only a few afternoon showers will fall towards the western half. The temperature will begin to rise from then on.

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.