The heat continued to be very intense and full summer this Thursday, but the mercury did not soar as much as yesterday in the interior, when temperatures exceeded 38 ºC in Ponent and Ebre. On Friday there will be few changes, but from the weekend onwards temperatures will soar again. The anticyclone and the gust of very warm air from North Africa will strengthen and fully embrace the Iberian Peninsula and a good part of Europe, especially the west of the continent, where suffocating conditions are expected and we will see if there are any heat records in a June month. In Catalonia, all this will result in a heatwave that will last at least until Sant Joan's Eve, with maximums of up to 40 ºC or more in the interior and tropical or torrid nights in many regions. Meteocat maintains the heatwave alert between Sunday and Tuesday, especially in the interior of the country.

Far from ending, the heatwave we are experiencing in Catalonia has intensified in recent hours, with temperatures yesterday reaching over 38°C in the Ebre interior and Ponent – notably 38.7°C in the city of Lleida itself – and 35°C in other inland areas. After such a scorching day, today the mercury will recede slightly temporarily, although the atmosphere will remain very warm. But all eyes are on the weekend, when the heat will be more extreme and the first heatwave of the summer in our region will very likely begin. An episode that will last at least until Sant Joan, with many highs of 35 to 40°C. Meteocat has already issued a prior warning in this regard for intense heat between Sunday and at least Tuesday, especially in the inland counties.

Last Sunday, the newspaper Última Hora published a poll on the results of the elections in the Balearic Islands, which, if nothing changes, will be held in a year's time. The prediction was that the PP and Vox will be able to renew their joint government, and that they would do so with a reinforced majority: the PP would have a significant increase, from 25 to 28 seats (close to an absolute majority, which in the Balearic Islands is 30 deputies), and Vox would gain one seat and remain with 9, compared to the 8 it has now. The eco-sovereignist left of Més per Mallorca would remain with 4 seats, Més per Menorca would go from 2 to 3 seats, and Gent per Formentera would lose its current seat. But the one that would suffer the great defeat would be the PSOE, which has already announced that Francina Armengol will not be its candidate and which blames the wear and tear of socialists at the state level: it would fall from the current 18 deputies to 14. As is often said, it is only a poll, but everything indicates that the revalidation of the victory of the extreme right and the far-right is a done deal in the Balearic Islands.Naturally, those favored by the demographic winds immediately came out to boast, as reported by Ara Balears. In his peculiar way of expressing himself, the spokesperson for the Popular Party, Sebastià Sagreras, boasted that “there are only two possible scenarios, one in which the PP is close to an absolute majority and another in which it would approach an absolute majority, but would still have to reach agreements”. Sagreras doesn't realize that, in both scenarios, he says the same thing. However, no one takes away his greatest satisfaction: “The PSIB [acronym for the PSOE in the Balearic Islands] is sunk”. Very good, Sagreras.More disturbing is the assessment made of the survey by the spokesperson for Vox in the Parliament of the Balearic Islands, Manuela Cañadas, who admires and applauds the things her party has "achieved" by forcing the Popular Party to follow its discipline as partners/non-partners. Namely: "The repeal of the democratic memory law, the deregulation of rural and urban land to allow more construction, and the imposition of national priority for accessing social benefits". In other words: fascist denialism, wild real estate speculation taken to its ultimate consequences, and institutionalized racism. They are great advances, indeed. Cañadas forgot, because she must take it for granted, a frontal and constant attack against the Catalan language and public schools, which the PP has diligently carried out from the self-governing institutions.Now, however, the same PP of the Balearic Islands says that it considers the commitments acquired with Vox to be fulfilled in order to approve the budgets, and that they intend to distance themselves from them during this pre-election year. Comment from a Vox source to Ara Balears from a Vox source: “They want to appear as moderate centrists now that the legislature is ending, but it's a lie”. It cannot be summarized better. A conclusion as schematic as it is true: the PP will continue to sell (and will not lack buyers) the idea of being a liberal, moderate, and reformist center-right party. The reality is that it is and will continue to be the submissive partner of Vox. In the Balearic Islands and everywhere.

The heatwave gives no respite and in these last hours it has intensified a little more. Yesterday, maximum temperatures widely exceeded 35°C in Ponent and in the south. Notably, 37.5°C were reached in Vinebre (Ribera d'Ebre) and 37.4°C in Seròs (Segrià). But locally, 37°C were also recorded in some other inland locations, such as Artés (Bages). Today we will add a few more degrees, and in the coming days temperatures will remain very high for the season, with values more typical of the summer dog days than mid-June, and tropical nights will occur in coastal areas. In fact, it is probable that from the end of the week the first heatwave of summer will arrive in Catalonia, with extreme heat that will push the mercury up to 40°C for the first time this year in the hottest inland areas. Meteocat has already issued a prior warning in this regard for intense heat between Sunday and at least Tuesday.

We have started the week with a very warm climate again for the time of year everywhere. Yesterday's highs exceeded 30°C in many cases, and 35°C towards the west and the Ebro valley. And last night, tropical lows were recorded, especially in the Barcelona area, with lows not dropping below 24°C, for example in Raval or at the Fabra observatory. A heatwave that will not let up in the coming days, as it will continue and even intensify throughout the week. By mid or late week, temperatures could reach 39°C or 40°C in the hottest areas of the west of the country. As can be seen in the following map, temperatures at about 1,500 meters altitude will reach nearly 25°C, a value more typical of the warmest days of the year.

A new pocket of warm air from North Africa will keep the atmosphere fully summer-like throughout this new week, after highs of 36 or 37 ºC were already reached this weekend in Ponent and the southern interior. This hot air will lower atmospheric pressure and generate a small thermal low that will favor the formation of afternoon thunderstorms, especially in the Pyrenees. In fact, some already reappeared yesterday, accumulating up to 25 l/m² in La Bonaigua (2,200 m, Pallars Sobirà), 15 l/m² in Puigcerdà (Cerdanya), and 3 l/m² in Núria (Ripollès).

A pocket of warm air from North Africa is making the atmosphere feel like mid-summer. This hot air will favor the formation of a thermal low over the Iberian Peninsula, which will cause the thermometer to rise and also form afternoon thunderstorms in the Pyrenees. This weekend, thermometers are generating highs higher than what would be expected for this time of year, with values that have exceeded 36°C in Empordà and Central Catalonia. For example, yesterday in Cabanes (Alt Empordà) and Artés (Bages) they reached up to 36.4°C. In Lleida or El Poal, they reached 35.6°C.

Temperatures took a leap forward yesterday and, after a still quite cool and jersey-wearing morning, the heat shot up at midday and became summery, with highs exceeding 30 °C inland, and reaching 35 °C in Vinebre (Ribera d'Ebre). Thermometers will climb even higher this weekend, with a full summer atmosphere and values clearly higher than what is appropriate for this time of year.

Instability has remained slightly active in recent hours, with variability in the sky and some scattered drops or showers that have by no means affected the whole country. Yesterday morning they fell in some regions, and this morning some have fallen that may repeat in areas of the eastern half until mid-morning. Very little all in all. Changes that have caused temperatures to drop, keeping the heat at bay and moderate, with considerable morning coolness. But this slight cooling will not continue in the coming days. The anticyclone will embrace us and a mass of warm air from North Africa will also approach. This will cause calm and radiant sun to dominate the rest of the week without palliative care. But above all, what we will notice is that temperatures will skyrocket, especially at the weekend, when the heat will once again be fully summery with values clearly above the usual for mid-June. 35°C will be widely exceeded in Ponent and Ebre.

The warm and summery peak we experienced yesterday will not continue, as temperatures will start to drop from today. The center of the anticyclone remains far from our home – located in the Azores – and this will allow a weakened cold front to cross us this Tuesday, which will primarily open the doors to the north wind and cause a drop in the mercury. Thermometers will fully normalize on Wednesday, with very breathable air and cooler nights. The second half of the week will again be warmer and more summery, but with no extremes in sight. All this with a slight temporary increase in instability. Between yesterday afternoon and this morning, some showers have fallen in the north and west of the country, leaving up to 20 l/m² in Molló (Ripollès), between 5 and 10 l/m² in Alt Pirineu, or 5 l/m² in Torres de Segre. Today some will repeat in these areas, especially in the north. Regarding the visit of Pope Leo XIV to Catalonia, rain in principle should not make an appearance at the scheduled events. Only drizzles or some local and fleeting shower can escape in the early morning and morning of Wednesday at any point.

We leave behind a weekend marked by calm weather, with a lot of stability and a sun that has gradually been imposing itself. This anticyclonic dynamic, typical of this time of year, will continue during the coming days, although afternoon showers will also continue in some regions of the northern half. The temperature will rise today after a weekend that has not been particularly warm. Thermometers will experience a brief peak this Monday, with maximums reaching 33 or 34°C in parts of Ponent and the interior of the Ebre. For now, however, there is no significant heatwave in sight, and it seems that the heat we had at the end of May will not visit us again, at least, until the second half of June. We expect a thermal roller coaster week, as from tomorrow the mercury will deflate again.

The weekend began with very calm and stable weather, marked by the presence of high cloud intervals that on Saturday caused trouble in many regions. During Saturday afternoon, some light, unimportant showers also reappeared, a situation that will be repeated on a fully anticyclonic Sunday with many more spells of sunshine. The highs will remain between 23 and 30 ºC in general, or a little higher in parts of Ponent and the Ebro interior. For the moment, however, there is no significant heatwave in sight and it seems that the heat of late May will not visit us again, at least, until the second half of June.

The cooling was strong this Friday after the active front that crossed Catalan territory on Thursday. Maximums remained between 20 and 25º C, or slightly higher in parts of Ponent, the Ebre, and Central Catalonia, a situation that will repeat during the first weekend of June. Nevertheless, some afternoon showers will still fall in some areas, especially on Saturday. Temperatures will rise, with warmer weather at midday. But the heat will remain moderate, with comfortable nights.

The change in weather that arrived yesterday has left an extensive spell of showers and strong storms in many regions in recent hours. The rain started on Thursday at midday, mainly in the Pyrenees, and gained ground. Since then and until this morning, thunder and showers have swept through a large part of the country, also reaching the entire coast, and in several cases, there have been true downpours that have left a lot of water in a short time. Only areas of Ponent and Ebre have remained on the sidelines of this episode. The most rainfall has been in the eastern Pyrenees and pre-Pyrenees, especially in Ripollès, northern Osona, and Berguedà, where total accumulations have been very significant and have caused various incidents and the sudden rise in the flow of rivers such as the Ter or Llobregat. More than 100 l/m² registered in some municipalities stand out, such as Campdevànol (Ripollès). Also accumulated were 90 l/m² in Sant Joan de les Abadesses and 75 in Sant Pau de Segúries (Ripollès), 90 in Montesquiu (Osona), or 73 at the Santuari de Queralt (Berguedà). Rain that has marred events like La Patum or Primavera Sound, while in the early morning hours a local downpour also left more than 50 l/m² in Les Cases d'Alcanar (Montsià).

The calm and sunny weather of Wednesday will not continue, as today the meteorological situation will become considerably complicated. The passage of an active front will reactivate instability, with a spell of showers and thunderstorms that between this afternoon and Friday morning will sweep across a large part of the country from northwest to southeast, also reaching a large part of the coast. During the morning there will be more clouds, with a more variable or partly cloudy sky. But beyond some initial drizzle, rain is not yet expected. It will be from midday when this episode will start from the Pyrenees and other mountainous areas, such as the pre-coastal range, and the rain will spread rapidly.

The heat has not been as intense during the weekend, although the atypical summer atmosphere has continued. During this first week of June, thermometers will continue to gradually drop, and by Wednesday we will have values more typical for this time of year. Little by little we have been leaving behind a heatwave that has broken the record for the highest maximum ever reached in Catalonia in a month of May, with 39.5 °C recorded in Vinebre (Ribera d'Ebre) on Friday (you will find the most outstanding data from this historic heatwave at the end of this article). The sun will continue to dominate these days, with high clouds and afternoon showers in the north of the country, as we have already seen during the weekend afternoons, with local but intense storms in some cases. All in all, however, awaiting a possible more extensive spell of showers before the weekend, which would open the door to a strong but brief cooling down.