Pure spring on the weekend: sun and afternoon storms, but warmer

BarcelonaA weekend that will be marked by completely spring-like ingredients begins. Mornings will be calm overall, but in the afternoons, cloudiness will increase, bringing irregular showers and storms to the Pyrenees, Pre-Pyrenees, and nearby areas. In fact, these drizzles will gain extent and strength, and especially on Sunday, they may reach more areas in the northeast and north of Central Catalonia. Locally, there will be some downpours accompanied by hail or sleet, so caution will be necessary if we are in these areas on the weekend, especially if we have planned activities in high mountains. Temperatures will rise and the atmosphere will be warmer, especially on Sunday. All this after a Friday that has already given us many highs of 21 to 26 ºC and some minor drizzles in the Pyrenees.

Saturday: more afternoon showers

The morning of the first day of the weekend will be calm, with plenty of sun combined with some thin cloud cover, as well as morning fogs or low clouds in inland plains and on some coastal stretches, especially along the Ebro. From mid-morning, cloudiness will increase in mountainous areas, which by the afternoon will bring scattered showers and storms in parts of the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees. Locally, they will bring some downpours, and may reach the northern part of Central Catalonia punctually.

Regardless, in the south of the Valencian Country, there will be remnants of some clouds and light showers. The rest of the territory will continue to be dominated by sunshine, with temperatures generally rising. Very moderate cold and fresh mornings, and most of the highs will range between 22 and 27 ºC, locally higher in Poniente and in the Ebro interior. Where it rains in the afternoon, it will cool down suddenly.

Sunday: more heat and storms

Temperatures will still rise further on Sunday, especially on the coast, the pre-coast, and the southern half of the country. Very warm atmosphere at midday, with values higher than would be expected for this time of year. Many highs will range between 23 and 28 ºC, but in Ponent, Priorat, and the interior of the Ebro, they may again touch or locally reach 30 ºC.

Although it will be hotter, cloud cover will grow with more energy. Already from mid-morning, the first showers may escape, but it will be from midday and during the afternoon that showers and storms will spread to any part of the Pyrenees, pre-Pyrenees, and northern Catalonia.

But precipitation will increase in intensity and extent, and some showers may also reach parts of the northeast and the pre-coast of Barcelona. Some downpours will occur that may locally leave more than 20 l/m² in just half an hour, even with hail or sleet. In the rest of the territories, sun and calm will continue to dominate.

A typically spring situation with calm mornings and afternoon thunderstorms in some regions that will continue next week. We might even have a progressive increase in instability, which would cause showers to reach more areas.