Late October atmosphere today: temperatures bottom out, with more afternoon showers

BarcelonaAfter the heavy storms and downpours on Sunday, the news of the last few hours has been the sudden and significant drop, felt everywhere. Generally, the drop has been between 5°C and 9°C. These are truly autumnal temperatures, coinciding with the arrival of the new season last night, specifically at 8:19 p.m. Today, temperatures will drop a little further and reach their lowest point. In fact, we're waking up to a very cool or cold atmosphere, depending on the area, with frost in the high Pyrenees and below 10°C inland. A sweater or jacket is essential early in the morning. All this with an increase in instability that will reactivate irregular afternoon showers and thunderstorms in regions in the east and north of the country. In the high Pyrenees, there have already been the first heavy downpours of the season in the last few hours, and they will be repeated this afternoon.

Tuesday: cooler weather and new storms

Temperatures will drop further this Tuesday, both day and night. We wake up to very cool temperatures near the sea and cold inland and mountain areas. Minimum temperatures have ranged from 6°C to 11°C inland and from 10°C to 15°C in the pre-coastal and coastal areas. However, it's even colder in the Pyrenees, with frost at high altitudes. Maximum temperatures will also be shorter, with many values between 16°C and 22°C, lower in mountain areas. The atmosphere is more typical of mid- to late-October, with temperatures clearly below average.

All of this was fairly calm and sunny in the morning, with mistral and tramontana winds continuing to blow all day in the south of the country and the Empordà region, with maritime disturbances. In the afternoon, there will be more instability, and dark clouds will grow steadily in the regions of Girona, Barcelona, ​​the Pyrenees, and the Pre-Pyrenees. Showers and thunderstorms are expected in these areas between the afternoon and evening or in the early hours of the morning. They will be very irregular, but locally heavy, with some hail. Meteocat has issued a warning for heavy rain in several coastal and pre-coastal regions of Girona and Barcelona.

In addition, scattered showers may occur in the Balearic Islands and southern Valencia, especially in Mallorca, with some intense thunderstorms. However, bright sunshine will be provided throughout the day in the southern and western parts of Catalonia and the northern part of Valencia.

It will take time for the temperature to rise

Tomorrow, temperatures will remain similar, with the minimum temperature possibly dropping a few degrees further. The maximum temperatures will gradually rise over the following days, but they will struggle. The weather will remain cool and autumnal, with traces of instability. Wednesday will see a repeat of afternoon showers in the northeast and the eastern Pyrenees, and Thursday could see renewed precipitation between the central coast and the Costa Brava.

Assessment of the episode of downpours and strong storms

The passage of a front and a pocket of cold air caused downpours and severe thunderstorms across the country on Sunday. Some of the areas most affected by the storm were central Catalonia, the Barcelona coast and pre-coast, Terres de l'Ebre, and the northeast. In some cases, the showers lasted for a long time, leaving significant amounts of precipitation. For example, in areas of Bages, the northern Vallès Occidental, and Solsonès, more than 100 l/m² accumulated. The downpours in Montserrat briefly reminded us of the severe flooding at the monastery on June 10, 2000. That night, 100 l/m fell.² in just 45 minutes, and the effects were much worse because the storm was very static and hit the massif even more violently than on Sunday.

The Ebro also received heavy rain, with intense hail that caused damage in towns such as Riumar, Deltebre (Baix Ebre), and Sant Jaume d'Enveja (Montsià). The rain caused quite a few incidents in general, such as landslides, flooding, road closures, and sudden and significant flooding of rivers and streams. These are the most notable rainfall records and images from Sunday:

• 130 l/m²: Montserrat - Sant Dimes
• 117 l/m²: Fillers
• 115 l/m²: El Port del Comte
• 88 l/m²: Gisclareny
• 88 l/m²: Sabadell - Parc Agrari
• 73 l/m²: Cadí Norte
• 69 l/m²: Alinyà
• 62 l/m²: La Pobla de Segur
• 57 l/m²: Gutters
• 55 l/m²: Tempering
• 55 l/m²: Núria
• 55 l/m²: Castellbisbal
• 54 l/m²: Font-rubí
• 53 l/m²: Lladurs
• 51 l/m²: Ódena
• 50 l/m²: Oliana
• 50 l/m²: Luck
• 48 l/m²: Vacarizas
• 42 l/m²: Terrace
• 41 l/m²: Ulldeter
• 40 l/m²: El Prat de Llobregat
• 36 l/m²: Amposta