Notable heat on the coast with maximums of up to 40 ºC in Ponent and Ebre

BarcelonaThe heat will still be intense, especially in the interior of the country, where it will again exceed 39°C and could reach up to 40°C in the Lleida plain and the interior of the Ebro valley (and we will already have more than twenty days with these extreme values). The meteorological situation offers no respite regarding temperature due to the warm air mass coming from North Africa.

The good news is that it is expected that from Friday and during the weekend this mass will move and make way for the entry of cooler air from the Atlantic. This clash between masses of very different conditions will generate powerful clouds and storms will break out strongly, but not everywhere in the country; therefore, it will cool down, especially where the most intense showers fall. In any case, the temperature will normalize and the heat will be normal for these dates or, even, it will be a little below in mountainous areas and inland.

Wednesday: another day with 40°C in Ponent and mugginess on the coast

We have already had more than twenty days this summer with maximums equal to or greater than 40°C. This Wednesday we will return to these values, especially in the Lleida plain and parts of the Ebro interior. The sun will continue to dominate inland with some intervals of low clouds on the coast that will accentuate the feeling of stuffiness. Swell is expected north of Cape Begur and light chop in the rest, with a weak sea breeze during the afternoon.

Maximums will climb up to 33°C on the coast, where the heat will be sticky, and there will be a noticeable stuffiness. Inland, the thermometer will move between 34°C and 37°C, reaching close to 39°C or 40°C in the Lleida plain and in the Ebro valley interior. Meteocat has issued a warning for intense heat:

Afternoon showers will be unimportant, short-lived, in the Pre-Pyrenees and the westernmost Pyrenees, although locally, some thunderstorms are not ruled out, especially in the high mountains.

Weather change from Thursday

The approach of a cold air trough at altitude will cause atmospheric instability to gain ground in the coming days. Towards Friday, thunderstorms could affect a large part of the country, with locally intense storms that could also reach the coast. If the forecasts are met, intense storms are expected, which could drop 30 or 40 mm in just over half an hour, accompanied by strong gusts of wind, hail, or sleet. Accumulations in a few hours, for example, on the southern coast, in the Prelitoral, or in Ponent, could exceed 60 or 70 l/m². In addition, the temperature will drop notably and the atmosphere will be normal for the time of year. Despite everything, the rain will not water the entire territory and it is possible that in some regions it will not even rain, due to the irregularity of these episodes.

Between Friday and next weekend, the atmosphere will cool down a bit or, in any case, the heat will be bearable and normal for these dates, without reaching the extremes of these last weeks. We will keep following it!