Hot start to summer and the Midsummer long weekend

The heat is relentless, and thermometers will climb a few degrees further and reach their peak this Saturday, the first official day of astronomical summer, which arrived at 4:42 a.m. Today, the first 40°C of the year could be recorded in Ponent, reaching or exceeding 35°C in other inland areas. Yesterday, Friday, temperatures already exceeded 39°C on the Ebro—where the highest maximum temperature so far this year in Catalonia was reached—almost 38°C in the Girona region, and the first torrid minimum temperatures in the city of Barcelona (you'll find all the data and heat records at the end of this report).

The coast will be very muggy, and sleepless nights will spread to more regions. On Sunday, the mercury will drop slightly in some regions, but will rise again on Monday. St. John's Bridge was sweltering and fairly sunny, but with afternoon showers and thunderstorms in some areas, ahead of a generally pleasant and warm festival. In fact, Friday afternoon saw local but strong thunderstorms in parts of the Pyrenees, the Pre-Pyrenees, and the western half, with hail or thunderstorms.

Saturday: peak heat

The night was once again a sleepless night, and tropical in many places. But as was the case yesterday, lows on the coast were once again scorching, especially in Barcelona's city center, due to the urban heat island. The thermometer hovered around 26°C in Barcelona (Raval), 25°C in Badalona, ​​and 27°C in Portbou (with a slight northerly breeze during the early morning).

Keep an eye on the highs on the first official day of summer, as they will add a few degrees overall, and the atmosphere will be scorching. Many temperatures will range between 32°C and 37°C, but locally they will be higher. This is the case in the Ponent region, where the first 40°C of the year could be recorded. The superheated southerly wind could also push highs above 37°C in the northeast. Meteocat has activated alerts for intense heat in western regions and Girona.

On the coast, the heat will be very pronounced and heavy, with the sun generally dominating, especially in the morning. In the afternoon, clouds will gather in mountain areas as a result of the same heat, bringing showers and occasional thunderstorms in parts of the Pyrenees, the Pre-Pyrenees, nearby areas, and inland Valencia. Showers are not ruled out in other inland areas of Catalonia. A strong thunderstorm may occur in the northern Poniente region at dusk.

Sunday: slight drop in mercury

Sunday morning will once again be tropical in many places, and some torrid lows could be repeated. Highs will drop slightly in the West and especially in the northern third of the country, including the Girona region. Elsewhere, temperatures will remain similar. Minor nuances in a context of generally very hot weather and marked muggy conditions on the coast. Highs of 32°C to 37°C, but up to 38°C or more in the West and the Ebro Valley.

All sunny and calm in the morning, with some coastal fog and a few patches of high, thin clouds. In the afternoon, the clouds will grow steadily, leaving irregular showers and thunderstorms in the Pyrenees, the Pre-Pyrenees, and Els Ports, but they could reach more inland areas of Catalonia and Valencia until the evening. The afternoon will be more unstable, but the showers will not reach everywhere; They will remain far from the coast, where the sun and calm will continue to dominate.

Verbena and end of long weekend with more heat

The temperatures lost on Sunday will be recovered on Monday in the west, with very intense heat and the possibility of reaching 40°C again in the West. Suffocating temperatures everywhere, with markedly muggy conditions on the coast, tropical nights in many places, and locally torrid lows in some coastal areas. Temperatures will remain very high at least until Wednesday, after which the heat will be more bearable.

All of this, with a similar tone to the beginning of the long weekend. That is, calm mornings with general sunshine and afternoons with some irregular showers and thunderstorms in the Pyrenees, the Pre-Pyrenees, and nearby areas. The night of the San Juan festival will be very placid and warm, with the disappearance of the showers that fell during the afternoon in the north of the country.

Heat balance with some records

Temperatures have risen even further this Friday, the last official day of astronomical spring, with unbridled heat that in many cases has left highs of 32°C to 37°C, with marked muggy conditions on the coast. The western part of the country and especially inland from the Ebro, where 39.4°C was reached in Vinebre (Ribera d'Ebre), the highest maximum so far this year

It was probably the warmest day so far this year in many places, and the first night recorded in Barcelona was also recorded. below 25°C. And a new water temperature record has been recorded, this time in Lake Banyoles, where the 27.55°C measured today by observer Josep Pascual is the highest value for a month of June since data began to be taken in 2000. A record for the 25th city of Barcelona, ​​​​the highest value ever recorded at this time of year. These are the highest maximums recorded on Friday:

• 39.4°C: Vinebre
• 39.2 ºC: Gimenells
• 38.6 °C: Alguaire
• 38.4 °C: El Masroig
• 38.4 °C: Ribarroja Reservoir
• 38.3 °C: Torres de Segre
• 38.2 °C: Vilanova de Segrià and Seròs
• 38.1 °C: Tàrrega and Ascó
• 37.9 °C: Lleida
• 37.8 °C: Fornells de la Selva
• 37.3 °C: Darnius-Boadella Reservoir