Clouds pending in some regions during the eclipse

BarcelonaUntil nightfall, some locally heavy showers and thunderstorms will still fall in the Pyrenees, Pre-Pyrenees and northern Central Catalonia and Ponent. But the most anticipated day of this 2026 is already here. Millions of people will enjoy the historic solar eclipse this Wednesday evening, which will be total in the southern regions of Catalonia, in all of the Balearic Islands and in a large part of the Valencian Country. A unique and exceptional phenomenon marked on the agenda for some time. Everything is ready to enjoy this spectacle, but only clouds could spoil it. And it is that in some regions there will be suffering until the last moment due to the presence of clouds that can interfere with seeing the sky clearly. It must be said, however, that in most of the territory the phenomenon will be visible without problems.

Where will there be clouds?

The meteorological conditions will be, a priori, favorable this Wednesday, as we will be under the effects of an anticyclonic ridge. This means that calm will dominate and instability will not be significant. However, after a calm morning, in the afternoon, cloudiness will grow again due to the same intense heat in the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees, which will leave some showers. Therefore, in these areas is where the sky may be most overcast at the time of the eclipse, as there will still be remnants of cloud intervals and the last showers. Cloudiness will also grow in other mountainous areas of the pre-coastal range, but they will be local and will dissipate more easily.

Furthermore, the cloud anvils and cloud remnants may also reach nearby areas, such as the interior of the Girona counties and the north of Central Catalonia, which would cloud the sky. On the other hand, in the rest of the country, the sky will be mostly clear, but with some nuances. Some traces of high, thin clouds will arrive that should not cause major problems, and there will be some African dust in suspension.

On the other hand, from the evening, some low clouds will begin to appear in coastal stretches due to high humidity and mugginess, especially between the Ebro Delta and Camp de Tarragona. They will be local and very difficult to know precisely where they may appear, but these clouds may punctually cause trouble at the time of the eclipse in those coastal areas where they appear. There may also be some harmless cloudiness in the Ports area.

On the other hand, the sky will be mostly clear in the Balearic Islands and in many regions of the Valencian Country. However, some low clouds may appear between Alicante and the south of Valencia, while some thin cloud bands will also cross.

All in all with a very warm and stuffy atmosphere. In fact, temperatures will rise further this Wednesday. Most highs will be between 33 and 38°C, but towards the west, they could reach 40°C. Meteocat has activated the alert for intense heat in this sector. At the time of the eclipse, most regions will still be above 30°C, with a very heavy atmosphere on the coast. Therefore, we will need to bring water to hydrate ourselves, sunscreen, cool clothing, and caps while observing the eclipse, in addition to the approved glasses.

Extreme heat peak in the coming days

Beyond the eclipse day, between Thursday and Friday, temperatures will reach their peak. The warm North African bubble will cause a new torrid peak, making most highs hover between 35 and 40°C. Even in Ponent and the Ebro valley, these figures can be surpassed.

On the coast and pre-coastal areas, the heat will be very marked, with a generally very warm and suffocating atmosphere. All this with sun and some irregular afternoon showers in the Pyrenees and pre-Pyrenees. Over the weekend, thermometers will begin to drop and thunderstorms will gain ground. Maps suggest that throughout next week, the mercury will clearly drop and the atmosphere will be more breathable, with more pronounced instability. An extreme that will need to be confirmed.