All of Catalonia on alert for the worst part of the heatwave

BarcelonaThe heat intensified even more this Tuesday in the interior of the country, with maximums that have exceeded 43 ºC for the first time this year in regions such as Ribera d’Ebre or Priorat. Highlights include 43.7 °C in Vinebre, 43.3 °C at the Riba-roja reservoir, and 43.2 °C in Torroja del Priorat. 43 °C has also been reached in Ponent, for example in the city of Lleida. While in the rest of the pre-littoral and inland areas, the maximums have ranged between 36 and 41 °C. The heat has been so extreme that absolute records have been reached in four Meteocat meteorological stations with more than twenty years of data, located in Ribera d’Ebre and Priorat.

The third day of the heatwave has been, for the moment, the warmest of the year so far across the country. The episode will experience a peak this Wednesday, with many maximums nearing or hovering around 40°C inland and in the northeast, and exceeding 42°C or 43°C in Ponent and the Ebro Valley.

Meteocat has placed the entire country on extreme heat alert this Wednesday, with a red alert – the highest possible – in Ponent, Terres de l'Ebre, and a large part of the counties of Girona and the coast and pre-coast of Barcelona. The heatwave will be extraordinarily long, as, despite a slight drop over the weekend, it will strengthen again next week.

Wednesday: maximum heat alert

Temperatures will rise more, both day and night. A new, quite widespread tropical night is expected, and torrid lows will be repeated in coastal areas. Meteocat has alerts activated for nocturnal heat in several counties of the coast and pre-coast, and also in Lleida.

Be careful with the maximums, as in many cases they will reach their ceiling. In fact, in the northeast and in parts of the coast and pre-coast, the temperature will skyrocket due to the heated south wind. A torrid and suffocating day is expected, with many maximums of 37 to 42°C inland and in the pre-coast. Therefore, the 40°C mark will be reached in many places, and even in Ponent and the Ebre, 43°C can be reached or exceeded.

All this with radiant sun and anticyclonic calm. However, in the afternoon, clouds will grow more eagerly in mountainous areas, as a result of the heat itself. Irregular afternoon showers are expected in parts of the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees, especially the western ones. In addition, remnants of afternoon thunderstorms from the Iberian system will arrive, leaving some downpours in the Ports and possible dry thunderstorms in Ponent, with strong gusts of wind without rain. A very adverse phenomenon with the high risk of fire we have; therefore, a lot of caution will be needed. In the rest, the weak to moderate sea breeze will dominate.

Very long heatwave

Between Thursday and Friday it will continue to be very hot, but we will lose a few degrees. A slight decrease that will not avoid new suffocating days. On the weekend the heat will be less extreme, but it will be a slight and transient decrease, as next week will start with a new peak of the North African warm gust that will bring us a new peak of this heatwave.

A very long episode that will also continue to punish a large part of the Iberian Peninsula and affect other parts of Western Europe. It would not be until the end of next week that we could breathe better, but with few options for rain in sight for the moment.