At the doors of the peak of the extraordinary heatwave: 40 ºC can be rubbed

BarcelonaWe continue immersed in this extraordinary and premature heatwave, which is completely out of place for a month of May and has set heat records in various parts of Europe. Yesterday a new record was broken in London: the 35.1 °C reached at Kew Gardens surpasses by 0.3°C the record for heat in a May month in the United Kingdom, also set the previous day. A completely out-of-place event in this country, also highlighting the 35ºC in Heathrow or the 32.9ºC in Cardiff (Wales). In Catalonia, so far we have had summer values above average, but far from records and heatwave criteria. Yesterday, the 34°C was again approached in the Lleida plain and in the southern interior, and around 30°C was reached in coastal areas.

Well, in the coming days we will have to be aware of a heat peak that we will experience. Today the temperature will already rise more, and between Thursday and Friday it will reach its peak, with torrid and extraordinary heat for the dates. Before the weekend, 35 °C will be reached or exceeded in various points of the pre-littoral and inland areas, and 40 °C can be approached in Ponent and the Ebro valley. In addition, tropical nights will gain ground beyond the coast. We will have to see if any records are shaken, also regarding the persistence of so much heat. All this with a scorching sun and calm due to the powerful anticyclone that affects us, and which is primarily responsible for this heatwave.

Wednesday: higher temperatures

The thermometers will rise even more this Wednesday. The mass of warm air that has been affecting us for days will intensify, and many highs of 31°C to 36°C are expected in the pre-coastal areas and inland, while on the coast they will range between 26°C and 31°C. This night, some slightly tropical minimums have been repeated quite locally on the coast - above 20°C – especially in neighborhoods of the city of Barcelona.

All in all with radiant sun and calm everywhere for another day. Perhaps some morning fog or low clouds will appear on coastal stretches, as well as some touches of thin clouds and afternoon clouds in the Pyrenees which, in principle, will not leave showers. A pleasant and profitable day, but measures must be taken to protect oneself from the hottest hours, as well as from strong solar radiation.

Scorching peak before the weekend

Temperatures will peak between Thursday and Friday, when the most intense part of this heatwave will fully affect us. It will be then when many highs will be around or exceed 35 °C inland, while in Ponent and the Ebro valley they could reach 40 °C. Extraordinary and completely out-of-place heatwave weather in the middle of May, with up to 12 degrees above average in some cases. A situation worthy of the hottest days of summer. And all this with tropical and sleepless nights that will spread along the coast, the pre-coast and the south of the country.

We will have to see if some heat records are eventually broken in the month of May. The highest absolute maximum recorded so far for this month was 38.5 °C reached in 2022 – the hottest year in history in Catalonia – in Castellbisbal (Vallès Occidental) and Anglès (Selva). A figure that could be surpassed in Ponent and Ebre in the coming days.

From the weekend, thermometers would begin to recede, but we will come from so high up that the heat will remain summery for many days, even for a large part of June. All this with sun but with the reappearance of afternoon showers in the Pyrenees from Friday.