Afternoon thunderstorms and more moderate heat

BarcelonaThe mass of warm air that has been affecting us these days is moving away towards the center of Europe and its effects will begin to weaken from today due to the passage of a tail of a front. In fact, during Sunday afternoon, stormy cells appeared over the Franja de Ponent and the Lleida plain, leaving some showers and strong gusts of wind. However, the thermometer has still risen significantly and the heat peaks have been notable, with 39.4 °C recorded in Lleida (la Fenosa), 38.8 °C in Albesa, 38 °C in Tremp, or 37.9 °C in Sant Salvador de Guardiola (Bages). At the end of this information, we add a more complete list of absolute maximums recorded.

Monday morning is expected to be muggy on the coast and Meteocat has issued a warning for nocturnal heat:

Monday of less extreme heat in Ponent and afternoon thunderstorms

The weakening of the North African mass of warm air will allow a slight drop in temperature. The tail of a front will allow cold air to enter at altitude and channel some tramuntana wind through Empordà, with maritime disturbance and strong swell north of Cape Begur. This situation will normalize the thermometer a little, which, in any case, will no longer reach such high values. It will be hot, but it will not be as extreme in the Ebre region or on the Lleida plain. For example, in Ponent, it will no longer exceed 37 °C. On the coast, there will be few changes and the temperature will still hover around 32 °C.

This cooler air will help grow convective clouds that, from midday, will leave new showers and thunderstorms. During the afternoon they will gain ground in the northern half of the country and the thunderstorms will be spread across the eastern Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees, Central Catalonia and the Ports. The showers will fall on both Monday and Tuesday afternoons.