Tomorrow will arrive the torrid peak of this heatwave

BarcelonaWe have started a new week again marked by the umpteenth heatwave of the season. In this case, the bubble of hot North African air is accompanied by a lot of dust in suspension and clearly more humidity than in last week's extreme heat episode. All this causes the mercury not to climb as much as it could, but a suffocating atmosphere is guaranteed. Yesterday, 38 or 39 ºC were already exceeded in Ponent, with Vilanova de Segrià reaching 39.4º C. And last night was tropical in many places and torrid in areas of the central and southern coast of the country, with marked stuffiness. Wednesday will be the hottest day of the episode in most regions, with temperatures that will transiently soar to 40 ºC or more in parts of the pre-littoral and interior. On the coast, the news will continue to be above all the marked and heavy stuffiness, as well as sleepless nights. From Thursday onwards, showers will arrive in the north and west of the country and the temperature will start to drop, but always remaining above the climatic average. No significant cooling is in sight.

Tuesday: warm and stuffy atmosphere

Temperatures will remain similar or rise slightly more this Tuesday, especially inland. The atmosphere will be warm and fully summery, with many highs ranging from 27 to 33 ºC on the coast and pre-coast, and from 32 to 37 ºC inland. However, temperatures could reach and exceed 38 or 39 ºC again in the south and in Ponent, with the possibility of some local 40 ºC. On the coast and pre-coast, the feeling of mugginess will be very pronounced, with high humidity. Meteocat has alerts activated for heat in the west, especially at night.

All in all with sun combined with some bands of high and medium clouds, especially in the afternoon, when the sky will become quite hazy. In addition, there will be a lot of African dust in suspension. There will also be low clouds or morning fogs on the coast due to high humidity. In the afternoon and evening, some mud drops or local showers are not ruled out in the Pyrenees of Lleida or Ponent.

Extreme heat peak Wednesday

Wednesday the temperature will soar, mainly due to the strengthening of the heated wind from the southwest and west. Many highs between 37 and 42 ºC are expected, the highest in the pre-coastal areas, in Ponent, in the Ebro region, and in Central Catalonia. It will be a scorching day, and likely with less marked humidity temporarily on the coast. Meteocat extends the yellow and orange alerts for intense heat to many regions, and even activates the red alert - the highest - in the pre-coastal area of Barcelona.

Thursday the temperature will begin to drop and clouds will grow, bringing showers and thunderstorms to the Pyrenees, Pre-Pyrenees and nearby areas, and to the Ports. Showers are not ruled out in other areas of the north and west of the country. Thermometers will continue to drop in the following days and we will breathe better. The third heatwave of the summer will begin to recede, but values will remain above average. No change in pattern is foreseen, nor any significant rainfall.