Peak temperatures today, but on the verge of another weather change

BarcelonaCalm and sunshine have prevailed in recent hours. Yesterday at midday, the weather was already more pleasant, with temperatures reaching up to 22°C in the interior of the Ebro Valley. And today, Wednesday, the thermometers will even reach their peak, with very mild temperatures and highs around or above 20°C in several areas. But in the afternoon, a cold front will begin to arrive, reactivating the strong mistral and tramontana winds in the west, south, and Empordà region, with showers on the northern slopes of the Pyrenees. On Thursday, the wind will be strong in the extremes, and temperatures and the snow level will plummet, but outside the Pyrenees, practically no precipitation is expected. Friday and Saturday should bring a respite, but on Sunday, snow will return to the Pyrenees and the wind will pick up in many areas, bringing colder temperatures. This very changeable, typically spring-like weather is the result of an anticyclone moving between the Azores and the British Isles, which will push colder fronts and air masses towards us.

Wednesday: changes starting in the afternoon

Wednesday morning will be very calm again, with generally bright sunshine and only a few scattered wisps of thin clouds, as well as some morning fog or low clouds. But from midday onwards, and throughout the afternoon, the approaching front will revive the mistral and tramontana winds in the Ponent region, much of the Tarragona area, and initially, the northern part of the Alt Empordà. By evening, these winds will extend across the entire Costa Brava and the Pyrenees peaks. Meteocat has issued strong wind warnings for several districts in these areas for both Wednesday and Thursday, with gusts that could exceed 70 or 90 km/h, and even locally reach 100 km/h.

The first showers will arrive on the northern slopes of the Pyrenees during the afternoon and evening. The snow level will start at around 1,400 meters, but will drop to just 800 meters overnight. Cloud cover will also develop in the rest of the Pyrenees and the northeast, while most areas will enjoy sunshine throughout the day. Temperatures will reach a temporary peak, with mild to warm conditions at midday. Many highs will range between 17 and 23 degrees Celsius, but even higher in the south.

Spring is backing away

The passage of the cold front will bring strong winds on Thursday to the Empordà region, the south, the Ponent region, and the Pyrenees peaks, where blizzard conditions and freezing temperatures are expected. Temperatures will drop significantly, and we will experience a return to winter weather, especially in the northern half of the country. Light to moderate snowfall is expected on the northern slopes of the Pyrenees in the early morning, and some isolated showers are possible between Barcelona and Girona, particularly overnight and into the early hours of the morning.

Friday and Saturday will be more pleasant days with a slight rise in temperatures, which will remain relatively mild and somewhat below the average for this time of year. Current weather maps indicate that between Saturday afternoon and Sunday, Palm Sunday, a new cold front of polar origin will arrive, bringing significant snowfall across the Pyrenees, along with colder temperatures and strong winds in many areas. This is a situation we will need to monitor closely and confirm.