Maximum alert in the coming days for the peak of the heatwave

The week has started with suffocating weather. This Monday we woke up after a tropical night in many places, and torrid in coastal areas, highlighting the extraordinary 28.5 ºC minimum in Portbou (Alt Empordà) or the 27.6 ºC in the Raval neighborhood of Barcelona. And the maximums have been around 40 ºC in many inland areas, especially in the south and Ponent. Highlights include almost 42 ºC maximum in Vinebre (Ribera d’Ebre), and even on the Barcelona pre-littoral they approached 40 ºC, with up to 39.2 ºC in Vallirana (Baix Llobregat).

Temperatures that will rise even more in the coming days, with torrid weather that will peak especially between Wednesday and Thursday. 40 ºC will be reached or exceeded in various inland and pre-littoral points. Meteocat extends alerts for intense heat throughout the country, with red danger warnings (the maximum possible) in various parts of the country. At the end of the week, the mercury will drop, but slowly and with values still well above normal for much of July.

Tuesday: runaway heat

Nighttime temperatures will be similar or higher, especially in the north of the country. Tropical lows will be repeated in many places, especially on the coast, pre-coast, west, and south, with torrid values again – above 25 ºC – in coastal areas. And maximums will also rise more, especially inland. Many values between 35 and 40 ºC are expected in the pre-coast and inland, higher in the west and the Ebro valley, and between 31 and 36 ºC on the coast, with marked mugginess in some stretches.

A stifling day that will generally be accompanied by sun and calm. In the afternoon, clouds will grow in the Pyrenees which, at most, may leave an isolated and weak drizzle or shower, as overall it is not expected to rain. In the interior of the Valencian Country, it will be easier for afternoon showers to fall.

Extreme heat for days

Extreme heat will not give any respite and has staying power for days, with a peak expected between Wednesday and Thursday. It will then be when the highest maximums of this episode will probably be reached, with values of 42 to 44 ºC in Ponent and the Ebro valley. We will see if any records are broken.

Complicated days are expected regarding heat and fire risk, with a torrid atmosphere and sleepless nights. A second heatwave of the summer that will also hit other areas of Western Europe hard, especially the Iberian Peninsula and France, where 40 ºC will be exceeded again by far.

Although from the weekend onwards the thermometers will start to drop, they will do so very slowly, and we will be coming from so high up that we will continue with values soaring above average. We will remain under the effects of the subtropical anticyclone and the gust of hot North African air. In fact, this situation could extend beyond the middle of the month. Therefore, we will have to keep sweating profusely when we haven't even reached the summer dog days yet.