Intense heat alerts return for many days

BarcelonaThermometers have started to rise in recent hours. Yesterday the heat was already more intense, although still without major extremes. 38 ºC were exceeded in Ponent, as well as 37 ºC in the Pre-Pyrenees and in other parts of the interior. The night has been milder, and some torrid minimums have reappeared in the center of Barcelona and in the south of the country, highlighting the 26 ºC minimum in Alfacs (Montsià) and in the Raval neighborhood of the Catalan capital. And it is that from today the thermometers will skyrocket more and 40 ºC can already be reached in Ponent, as well as many maximums of 36 to 39 ºC in the rest of the interior. Meteocat has already issued the first warnings for intense heat from this Wednesday in the regions of Lleida, the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees, Central Catalonia and the coast of Barcelona. This new episode of extreme heat will last at least until the middle of next week, and will probably become the fourth heatwave of the summer in Catalonia.

A situation that will make the fire risk higher and that is the result of a new incursion of very warm air coming from North Africa, which will once again embrace southern and central Europe. Temperatures at an altitude of 1,500 m will climb in the coming days to 25°C or more, with values between 5 and 10 degrees above average at the surface in many regions. Aemet has issued a heatwave alert in Spain, while countries like France or the Benelux will experience the umpteenth heatwave of a summer that gives no respite to the old continent. All this with more suspended dust, anticyclonic calm and little rain in sight.

Wednesday: extreme heat returns

Temperatures will rise more this Wednesday, both minimum and maximum. The night has already been milder with tropical values gaining ground, and even warm in parts of the coast and the south, with some torrid lows in Barcelona and the Ebro. And in the middle of the day the heat will be intense, with extreme values especially in the west of the country. Many highs of 33 ºC to 38 ºC are expected in the pre-coast and inland, but 40 ºC can already be reached or slightly exceeded in Ponent.

A suffocating day with temperatures above average and more humidity on the coast. All this with radiant sun and few nuances. Only some low coastal cloud may appear early in the morning, or some afternoon cloudburst in the Pyrenees that, at most, will leave some isolated showers between the north of Ripollès, Cerdanya and Capcir.

Possible heatwave

Temperatures will remain very high in the coming days, and between the weekend and the beginning of next week they will peak. It is very likely that heat thresholds will be exceeded for three consecutive days or more, especially in inland regions. Therefore, we are most likely facing the fourth heatwave of the summer in Catalonia, according to Meteocat itself.

Beyond some local afternoon showers in the Pyrenees, no rain is expected in the medium term, with a considerable increase in African dust in suspension. Maps extend this new episode of extreme North African heat until at least the middle of next week, already into the month of August.