Meteocat puts almost all of Catalonia on red alert: the main event of the storms is coming.

BarcelonaThe depths of the heavy storms are now here. The showers are very intense in many parts of the country at this time, and the main event is yet to come. Therefore, Meteocat has raised the risk of heavy torrential downpours across much of Catalonia throughout the afternoon from orange to red—the highest level. This rainfall could reach more than 40 l/m² locally in just half an hour.

In addition, shortly after 2:00 p.m., Civil Protection issued warning alarms to all mobile phones in Catalonia. Only six regions have escaped the alert: Vall d'Aran, Alta Ribargorça, Alt Urgell, Cerdanya, Pallars Jussà, and Pallars Sobirà. In the warning, authorities advise avoiding travel and outdoor activities, as well as staying in garages, basements, ground floors, or other flood-prone areas. "If water enters, go up to upper floors," they recommend.

Showers and storms have been appearing irregularly in many parts of the country, but since midday, the main front of showers and storms has begun to move in through the Ebro and West, and has already reached Central Catalonia and parts of the Barcelona area. As the hours pass, it will sweep across the entire territory in a northerly and easterly direction, also affecting the rest of the Barcelona and Girona regions. This is the height of the instability that could bring downpours. as has already happened in recent hours in AragonMeteocat has issued warnings for heavy rain across the country, and the Inuncat plan is in alert phase. So far, for example, rainfall has exceeded 100 l/m² in Els Ports and 80 l/m² in Gandesa (Terra Alta) and Igualada (Anoia), where the streets have become rivers. It also rained heavily in Castellón and the northern regions of Valencia, with some accumulations between 40 and 80 l/m².

All of this is the result of a cold air pocket that is affecting us directly today. A small DANA, although it will have absolutely nothing to do with the historic autumn storm in the Valencian Community. This is a typical summer downpour at our home, due to the collision of cold air at altitude with the heat accumulated over the past few weeks and the humidity of a very warm sea. However, these more intense episodes typically arrive from the end of August onwards. Calm will return to most regions on Sunday.

Saturday: showers and strong storms

The first day of the weekend will be marked by very unstable weather. We will have a strong case of showers and strong storms, which will affect the entire territory throughout the day. Showers and storms could appear throughout the day in practically any location. But the most significant will begin in the morning, midday, and early afternoon in the regions of Tarragona and Lleida. From lunchtime and throughout the afternoon and into the evening, they will also sweep through Barcelona and Girona.

The storms will often be accompanied by heavy downpours, hail, hail, or strong gusts of wind, with the risk of local flooding and sudden rise in rivers and streams. Meteocat has activated alerts throughout the territory for intense rain that could leave 40 l/m² in just half an hour. For its part, Civil Protection urges caution in this situation, especially on the roads, as it is the weekend and heavy traffic is expected on the road network.

Showers and thunderstorms will also reach the Western Strip, Andorra, northern Catalonia, the Castellón region, and Valencia. Some are not ruled out between Mallorca and Menorca, but the Balearic Islands and Alicante will be calmer. Lower temperatures will be due to the presence of rain and cloud cover, with a mild heat wave and marked muggy conditions on the coast and pre-coastal areas, which will ease once it rains. Many highs will hover between 25°C and 30°C.

Sunday: much calmer

The cold air will gradually move away, and it will no longer rain during the night and early morning, with the possibility of some showers still being possible between the Costa Brava and Roussillon. It will be a generally calm night, cooler, and generally a good night's sleep. During the early morning and early morning, a slight northerly wind will blow in the northern Empordà.

We expect a sunnier and calmer Sunday in most areas, but there will be some cloud cover in mountainous areas and the northeast. It is in these areas that we may see some afternoon showers, mainly in the Pyrenees, Pre-Pyrenees, Els Ports, or between the Transversal mountain range and Montseny. There will be little to take advantage of during a day as a whole, with temperatures set to rise slightly.

Warmer weather next week

Between Monday and Tuesday, there will be some lingering showers, and temperatures will experience some minor fluctuations. But starting midweek, the heat will become increasingly intense, reaching or exceeding 35°C in the warmest areas of the country, primarily in the south and west. However, no significant heat waves or new episodes of significant rain are in sight.

Storm Summary

Yesterday afternoon, heavy storms fell, especially inland in the northern half of the country, but since last night and throughout this morning, they have reached the Ebro and Ponent regions. The most notable figures so far have been 67 l/m² recorded in Tornabous (Urgell), 34 l/m² in Gandesa (Terra Alta), 45 l/m² in Navès, and 30 l/m² in Lladurs (Solsonès). Yesterday, there were even some local but significant hailstorms, such as in Pallars Jussà and especially in Solsonès, with hailstones up to 6 cm in size in Olius.