On alert for the change of weather in Catalonia

BarcelonaThe change in weather has already arrived, in a radical and even sudden way. The approach of a cold air trough at altitude is causing atmospheric instability to gain ground, and it has already caused the thermometer to drop slightly. In fact, Civil Protection has placed the Inuncat plan on pre-alert this Thursday due to the episode of rain forecast for this Thursday and the coming days. For now, the front has left rain with strong winds and hail, especially in Vallès Occidental, but no significant damage has been reported. In one hour, between 4 PM and 5 PM, the Firefighters received about fifty calls for fallen trees and urban furniture, as well as minor floods.

The Meteorological Service of Catalonia (Meteocat) has issued a severe weather warning, with a maximum danger level of 6 out of 6, due to the possibility of intense storms in various parts of central and pre-coastal Catalonia. Specifically, Civil Protection has warned that during the two hours after 3:34 PM, episodes of hail larger than two centimeters in diameter, wind gusts exceeding 90 kilometers per hour, squalls, and tornadoes may occur in Vallès Oriental, Maresme, Selva, and Osona.

During the previous hours, the episode had affected more western areas, with violent phenomena in Anoia, Alt Penedès, Baix Llobregat, and the two Vallesos. Furthermore, Meteocat had indicated that a shower developed in Anoia was advancing towards Baix Llobregat and Vallès Occidental.

On Friday night and early morning, there will be another wave of showers in the Lleida Pyrenees and in Ponent. During Friday morning and midday, storms will fall in the northeast of the territory, and during the afternoon and evening, they will fall in the Camp de Tarragona and on the coast. These showers will be accompanied by strong wind gusts, hail, or stones. Accumulations in a few hours, for example, on the southern coast, in the Prelitoral, or in Ponent, could exceed 60 l/m².

Civil Protection asks citizens to exercise extreme caution due to the possibility of intense local storms, accompanied by violent weather phenomena. Additionally, the Hydrographic Confederation of the Ebro (CHE) has intensified surveillance due to the possibility of sudden floods in ravines and streams in the Ebro basin. In the Pyrenees, in the high mountains, thunderstorms will also be violent. And the maritime situation will be altered, with moderate or strong swell, for example, north of Cap de Begur.

Landslide due to heavy rain in the Valencian Community

The Valencian Country has already suffered the effects of this storm, with episodes of heavy rainfall, in some cases accompanied by hail, and gusts of wind that have reached 150 kilometers per hour, causing trees to fall and the roof of a church in Alzira to collapse. According to the Valencian Association of Meteorology (Avamet), gusts of up to 149 kilometers per hour were recorded in Sumacàrcer and 143 km/h in Alzira (Valencia), followed by 125 km/h in Corbera and 114 in l'Alcúdia, as well as wet downbursts in several towns.

Will the heat leave?

During the weekend the thermometer will drop more noticeably and will be a little below what would be expected for these dates. This will translate into better rest during the nights and the disappearance of torrid and tropical nights on the coast, at least for a few days. In the Pyrenees, for example, this cooling will be most noticeable, and during the nights you will need to grab a jacket and a blanket (it seems unbelievable, but yes!).

The bad news about all this is that the strong contrast between air masses with very different conditions will generate powerful clouds and the storms will discharge with force, with some downpours and violent phenomena, such as strong gusts of wind, hail, and sleet. The first thunderstorms have already discharged with force and violence during the afternoon of this Thursday.