Less extreme heat and more thunderstorms in the Pyrenees

BarcelonaThe mass of warm air that is affecting us these days is losing strength and will move away towards the center of Europe. However, the heat is still intense and today, once again, we have again registered values close to 38 °C in some regions of Ponent and Empordà. For example, in Cabanes they have reached 38.7 °C and in Lleida up to 38.6 °C. During the rest of the weekend we will continue under the effects of the anticyclonic ridge and the irruption of very warm air and dust in suspension from North Africa. Next week the thermometers will drop, but the latest maps reduce the possibility of a significant cooling.

The heatwave is affecting the European continent with great intensity. Almost half of the cities in Europe have exceeded the threshold of meteorological conditions that humans are able to withstand during an episode of extreme heat. New records may still be registered in the coming hours.

Sunday: afternoon showers in the Pyrenees

The heat will continue to strengthen this Sunday, with some clouds on the southern coast and others thinner inland. The novelty will be that in the afternoon, dense clouds will grow and showers will reappear in parts of the Pyrenees, especially the western ones. They will be downpours, locally of strong intensity, with thunderstorms that will strike in regions such as Pallars Sobirà, Alta Ribagorça, Alt Urgell, and the Aran Valley. Meteocat has issued a warning for intense rain in these areas.

It is not ruled out that some shower may arrive in Ponent from Aragon in the afternoon. Nuances in a context of calm and sun throughout the country, as well as heat.

It will be a very warm and muggy day again, with maximums that will even rise further south. It will reach 36°C or 37°C between the interior of the Ebro and Ponent, with many maximums of 34°C to 36°C inland, and again above 30°C on the coast, where the atmosphere will be heavy. On the other hand, where it rains in the afternoon, the mercury will drop suddenly.

Heat increasingly less extreme

Looking ahead to next week, thermometers will be dropping, especially towards Wednesday. The weakening of the warm North African air mass will allow for this temperature decrease. But everything seems to indicate that this thermal drop will be less significant than predicted in recent days.

A situation that we will have to follow closely, as for now it seems that it will be difficult for thermometers to fully return to normal. All this with afternoon showers that will gain ground in the northern half of the country. Thunderstorms will be more widespread in the Pyrenees, Pre-Pyrenees, Central Catalonia, and the Ports. Showers will fall on Monday and Tuesday afternoons.

Maximum temperatures recorded Saturday, the 27th:

• Cabanes: 38.7 °C
• Lleida - la Fenosa: 38.6 °C
• Darnius-Boadella: 38 °C
• Temperature: 37°C
• Banyoles: 37 °C
• Girona: 36 °C
• Barcelona (University Zone): 34.6°C
• Unit: 33.5 °C