The most intense heat gives us a small respite

BarcelonaThe intense and suffocating heat reached a new peak yesterday, especially in the pre-coastal areas, in Central Catalonia and in the south. Temperatures neared 40 ºC in the Ebro's interior, and even surpassed 38 ºC in the pre-coastal region. Benissanet (Ribera d'Ebre) registered the highest temperature in Catalonia on Tuesday, with 39.7 ºC. Additionally, 39.3 ºC were reached at the Siurana reservoir, 39 ºC in Vinebre (Ribera d'Ebre), 38.7 ºC in Sant Salvador de Guardiola (Bages), and 38.4 ºC in Vacarisses (Vallès Occidental). However, from the evening onwards, the temperature began to drop, and last night was not as oppressive as the previous two. Most tropical minimum temperatures were concentrated in points along the coast and pre-coastal areas, with still some very localized torrid minimums. In much of the interior, temperatures have already dropped below 20 ºC.

This is because today the north wind is strengthening in the extremities and temperatures will generally decrease, especially in the interior and the Pyrenees. It will continue to be summer heat, but far from Tuesday's extremes and with most maximums below 35 ºC. A brief respite to start the month of July that will not be as marked on the coast, but which will make the next two nights even more comfortable outside the coastline. However, all this will not last long, because the week will end again with a gust of extreme heat that will bring back 40 ºC.

Wednesday: temperature drop

July begins this Wednesday with the mistral and tramuntana winds strengthening at the extremes, with special force in Empordà. An influx of slightly cooler air at altitude that will lower temperatures, both minimum and maximum. Many values will move between 30 and 35 °C in the middle of the day, slightly higher in the warmest areas of the south and west, and lower in mountain areas.

Less extreme heat after a generally more comfortable night, although tropical minimums have been repeated on the coast and pre-coast and some very localized torrid ones by the sea, highlighting the 26 °C minimum in the Raval neighborhood of Barcelona or 25.3 °C in Roses (Alt Empordà), here due to the reheated tramuntana. Meteocat maintains alerts for nocturnal heat in coastal stretches, as well as for diurnal heat on the coast between Montsià and Tarragonès.

All in all with plenty of sun and calm, but during the morning there will be more cloud intervals between Girona and Barcelona, as well as some first showers on the north face of the Pyrenees. In the afternoon, clouds will grow in the north of the country, leaving irregular showers and thunderstorms, especially in the Pyrenees and eastern pre-Pyrenees, as well as in other parts of the northeastern interior. It is not ruled out that some of these showers will reach Maresme or Selva as the hours pass. Meteocat maintains the alert for possible heavy downpours accompanied by hail in these sectors.

New extreme heat wave in sight

The night from Wednesday to Thursday will be cooler and more breathable, and tropical minimums will be more concentrated on the coast. During the day, thermometers will begin to rise slightly after Wednesday's drop, but still without extremes. It will be on the weekend when the mercury will rise the most, especially on Sunday, when suffocating heat will dominate again.

A new gust of very warm air will reach us and the anticyclone will strengthen. A combination that will bring us extreme heat again and 40°C in the hottest areas of the interior. This episode will again affect several countries in western and central Europe in the coming days. We will see if it is as intense as the last historic heatwave.