Scorching heat with possible record temperatures between today and tomorrow

BarcelonaThe thermometers have taken a new step forward in recent hours. We wake up after a night that has registered more tropical lows, especially on the central coast, highlighting the extraordinary 23.4 ºC low at the Fabra observatory. But a separate case is the north of Alt Empordà, where due to the reheated tramuntana wind, torrid lows have been locally recorded, with values above 25 ºC. The 28 ºC low in Portbou stands out, a record for nocturnal heat in a May in Catalonia.

All in all, to start a Thursday when temperatures will still soar further and, in several regions, reach their peak. Between today and Friday, we will have the torrid peak of this episode and temperatures could touch 40ºC in the Lleida plain and the Ebro interior. It is possible that some heat records for a month of May will be registered. All this with more tropical nights in the coming days, general sunshine, and afternoon showers in the Pyrenees that will increase, especially on the weekend. From Saturday onwards, the temperature will gradually decrease, but will remain well above average.

Yesterday, the maximum temperatures already exceeded 30ºC in a large part of the country and 35 or 36ºC in Ponent and the southern interior. The maximum of 36.6ºC reached in Vinebre (Ribera d’Ebre) stands out. We are in the midst of an extraordinary heatwave due to the heat dome effect caused by the powerful and static anticyclone over all of Western Europe for days. With the strong solar radiation of these dates and the null air circulation for so many days, the atmosphere heats up more each day.

Thursday: rampant heat

Temperatures will rise even further this Thursday. After the highest minimums of the night - with tropical values that have gained ground - a very hot day is expected everywhere and of full heatwave, with values completely out of control and out of place for the end of May. It is possible that in the regions of Girona and Barcelona it will be the warmest day of this episode. Many maximums will move between 32 and 37 ºC in the pre-coastal area, inland and in the valleys of the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees. But in Ponent and the Ebro valley, 38 ºC or 39 ºC can be reached or approached. We will see if any record is already reached. Very hot also on the coast, with values above 30 ºC in many cases and stuffiness.

Regarding the state of the sky, radiant sun will dominate. But the novelty will be that afternoon clouds will grow with a little more enthusiasm in the Pyrenees, where some scattered, local, and insignificant shower may occur.

Temperatures are peaking

Friday will likely be the hottest day of the year so far in some regions, especially in the south and west. The scorching peak of this episode is expected, which may also set new heat records for the month of May. The atmosphere will be worthy of the hottest days of the summer heatwave, with maximum temperatures exceeding 35 ºC in many inland and pre-coastal areas, and reaching 39 or 40 ºC in Ponent and the Ebro valley. However, the mercury will already drop slightly in the regions of Girona and Barcelona.

Starting this weekend, the mercury will generally start to drop, but we'll be coming from so high up that the atmosphere will continue to be atypically full of summer. In fact, tropical nights will also extend to more regions and further inland from the coast between Friday and the weekend. It's worth noting that the sea water has also warmed up much more than it should have in recent days, and it already has values around 4 degrees above average.

All this with bright sunshine in the short and medium term in most regions. However, the core of the anticyclone will gradually shift towards the Atlantic, and this will favor afternoon clouds growing with more intensity. Therefore, showers and thunderstorms will increase in the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees, especially during the weekend, when some hail or sleet is not ruled out as a result of the same accumulated heat.