Heat still intense, but changes at the end of the week
Temperatures will remain very high until mid-week
BarcelonaRain has been scarce in recent months, but yesterday afternoon showers and storms arrived in the Terres de l'Ebre which quickly spread to more areas of the coast and pre-coast. Notable were the 12 l/m² that fell in Falset (Priorat) or the 11 in Benissanet (Ribera d'Ebre). The surprise was that, in some cases, the storms were accompanied by brief sudden downpours, hail, or strong winds, a result of so much accumulated heat. This was the case in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and the south of the city of Barcelona, where gusts close to 120 km/h were recorded and a squall occurred. A sudden and very strong wind that caused trees to fall and various damage.
The weeks go by, but the meteorological situation is the same: intense heat. And we will continue like this for a few more days. A very warm and muggy Tuesday awaits us, with temperatures above average that, as happened this Monday, can reach 40 °C in Ponent and the Ebro valley. Part of the Iberian Peninsula is immersed in a new heatwave that, for the moment, narrowly avoids the whole of Catalonia.
However, the maps are confirming possible medium-term changes. Everything seems to indicate that between the weekend and next week, thermometers will drop more eagerly, we will breathe much better, and the nights will be more comfortable. A situation that we will have to refine in upcoming forecasts, but which would put an end to an extraordinarily suffocating first part of the summer.
Tuesday: few changes
For now, this Tuesday will repeat the same script as in recent days. A new suffocating day is expected, with intense heat and mugginess. Most of the maximums will range between 33 °C and 38 °C in the pre-coastal areas and inland, but they could again be around 40 °C in Ponent and the Ebro valley. Meteocat maintains alerts for intense heat in these areas, and also for nocturnal heat, as this night has once again been warm in many regions.
All this with sun combined with the passage of some bands of high and medium clouds, scarcer in the north of the country. In fact, the presence of these clouds can increase the feeling of mugginess, especially in the Terres de l'Ebre. The dust will also remain suspended, although in the afternoon some local showers are not ruled out in the Pyrenees, especially in the eastern part.
Possible refresh of the view
The heat will remain intense for much of the week, even with a brief warm peak on Thursday, especially in Ponent and Ebre. Therefore, you'll have to sweat it out for a few more days, with suffocating conditions in general and muggy weather on the coast. No rain is expected either, beyond some local showers in the Pyrenees during the afternoons.
However, different meteorological models are confirming that a change in meteorological pattern is already looming, which would break the dynamic of calm and extreme heat of recent weeks. From the weekend, thermometers would start dropping due to the entry of northerly winds and would completely normalize next week.
Therefore, the runaway heat and the North African warm bubble are starting to have their days numbered. It will continue to be hot, but it will be more bearable, and the nights will also be more pleasant. As for the rain, no significant episode is in sight at the moment.