Extreme heat out of character to start the San Juan long weekend

BarcelonaThe heat has taken a turn for the worse this Thursday, with a very warm, midsummer atmosphere. Temperatures exceeded 37°C again in Ponent, but the 38.4°C reached in Llimiana (Pallars Jussà) and the 37.9°C in Seròs (Segrià) stand out. Today also saw a new record for seawater warmth. Specifically off the coast of Barcelona city, the 25.2°C recorded is the highest temperature since 2006, the start of the data series, according to observer Diego Lázaro. This figure is 3.5°C above average and typical of midsummer.

And the heat will peak between Friday and Saturday, coinciding with the official arrival of summer in the early hours of Saturday. A gusty wind and a subtropical anticyclone ridge will be the main drivers of this very hot spell, worthy of a dog day. Many inland areas will reach or exceed 35°C, but towards the west, the first 40°C of the year will most likely be recorded. Uncontrolled and unseasonably hot temperatures for the time of year will continue throughout the Sant Joan long weekend, with only minor rises and falls. Tropical nights and poor sleep will gain ground, and the mugginess will be pronounced on the coast.

All this with more irregular afternoon showers in the north and west of the country, although the festival looks calm. In fact, during the night from Thursday to Friday, some showers and storms could arrive from Aragon in the regions of Lleida and the interior of the Ebro.

Friday: unbridled heat

Temperatures will rise even further this Friday, with intense heat and the heat of the dog days, which is inappropriate for the time of year, considering it's the last official day of astronomical spring. In Ponent, temperatures could reach the first 40°C of the year. Meteocat has issued intense heat warnings for several regions on both Friday and Saturday.

Along the coast, temperatures will also reach 30°C in some places, with very intense heat. A harsh summer day will be accompanied by sunshine and some suspended dust. But as a result of the same warmth and some cold air at altitude, clouds will gather in the afternoon, bringing irregular and locally heavy showers and thunderstorms in parts of the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees, with more localized thunderstorms not being ruled out in other inland areas.

San Juan Bridge with extreme heat

Summer officially arrives on Saturday at 4:42 a.m., although the summery atmosphere has been in place for several days now. The West Coast and the Ebro Valley. Tropical lows will be very frequent, while the muggy conditions will be very uncomfortable near the sea. It looks like the heat will continue throughout the next week.

As for the sky, the sun will generally dominate, but the afternoons will see repeated cloud cover due to the same heat, with new showers and intermittent thunderstorms mainly in the Pyrenees, the Pre-Pyrenees, and Els Ports. Some showers will also reach inland areas and the west. Sunday's afternoon seems to be busiest, while the festival will be quiet overall.