The heat continues unabated: a scorching peak today in the northeast with temperatures near 40°C.

BarcelonaWe are immersed in sustained heat that is bringing June closer to the top of the podium for the warmest on record, with many consecutive days of atypically high temperatures around the world, both day and night. Tuesday, the day of San Juan, was the warmest day of the year so far, and this situation will continue into Wednesday, even with a scorching peak in the northeast that could leave highs close to 40°C in this area. The heat will ease slightly on Thursday, but will soar again between Friday and the weekend. All of this is happening in a context of very stable, sunny weather, now without the extensive showers and storms of recent days (you will find all the data on this rainfall and the extreme heat at the end of this report).

Wednesday: torrid peak on the northern coast and pre-coast

Yesterday's highs were particularly high in Ponent and in the Barcelona area, but today, Wednesday, the heat will be felt throughout the coast and in the central and northern pre-coastal areas, where a scorching peak will be experienced due to the superheated southerly wind, which will blow moderately inland. The maximum temperature will well exceed 35 or 37°C in inland and pre-coastal areas, and 31 or 32°C along the coast itself, with a sea that is practically non-refreshing due to its high temperature. Even in northeastern areas, such as the interior of Alt Empordà, temperatures could dip or locally reach 40°C. However, the mercury will begin to drop slightly in Ponent.

Furthermore, the sun will once again be the protagonist, with a steady pulse. Only a few afternoon showers will fall in the western Pyrenees, and perhaps in the afternoon in the northern Ponent region. This is nothing compared to the heavy downpours and hailstorms of recent days. The Catalan Meteorological Service maintains an intense heat warning affecting some coastal regions of Tarragona (Tarragonès and Baix Penedès) and the coast and pre-coast of Barcelona and Girona.

Thursday: The heat eases temporarily

The weather will remain stable on Thursday, with sunshine once again taking center stage, interrupted only by a few light cloudy spells, especially in the afternoon in the Pyrenees. The only difference will be a slight drop in temperature compared to the beginning of the week, although there will be no noticeable warming. This will be a mirage, thanks to the arrival of some north winds, in anticipation of a new peak in heat that will arrive over the weekend.

Heat and storm balance

Temperatures rose sharply yesterday, Tuesday, the holiday of Sant Joan, a day we will remember for its unbridled heat, with very high highs everywhere and so far the warmest day of the year so far. Many highs hovered between 35 and 40°C, with only coastal and mountain areas lower. Of note were the 40.6°C in Llimiana (Pallars Jussà), 40.5°C in Castellnou de Seana (Pla d'Urgell), 40.3°C in Torres de Segre (Segrià), and 40°C in Torroja de Priorat, Mollerussa (Pla d'Urgell), and the central coast and pre-coast. The mercury also rose sharply along the coast and central pre-coast, with 38.3°C in Vallirana, 38°C in Castellbisbal, 37.6°C in Terrassa, and 37.2°C in Sabadell. The Fabra Observatory in Barcelona recorded 35.8, the warmest Midsummer's Day since 1914 and the second warmest June day in its centenary series.

Afternoon storms have been bringing strong thunderstorms and hail to some areas, especially in the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees. Sunday was the most unstable day, with the most widespread showers leaving up to 53 l/m (12.8 ft).² in Guardiola de Berguedà, 44 in Montesquiu or 42 in Orís (both municipalities in Osona), accumulations similar to those of Monday (56 l/m² In addition, on both days the precipitation was locally accompanied by thunderstorms and hail or stones, which caused damage to crop fields. During the afternoon of Saint John's Day, the storms were especially intense in Cerdanya, Ripollès and Cerdanya, with 48 l/m² in Guardiola de Berguedà, 31 in Núria (Ripollès) or 23 in Das (Cerdanya).