Unbridled heat: today is the peak of the heat

BarcelonaTemperatures have soared in the last few hours, with a midsummer atmosphere completely out of place for the time of year. Temperatures have exceeded 30°C in many places, but in Ponent, they have reached and surpassed 38°C for the first time this year. We're also waking up after a night that was tropical in many places, while in the north of the country yesterday afternoon there were strong storms with some intense hail (you'll find all the heat and thunderstorm data at the end of this report). And this Wednesday, temperatures will peak, especially in the eastern half of the country.

We will therefore have unbridled heat typical of the dog days, with values between six and eight degrees above average that could occasionally reach 39 or 40°C in Ponent. All this with sunshine occasionally marred by suspended dust and some high, thin clouds. In the afternoon, heavy clouds will approach the Pyrenees, both in the west and south. The odd shower or local scattering of mud is possible, though nothing like yesterday's storms. The mercury will drop slightly on Thursday, but the summer heat is here to stay all week.

Wednesday: Temperatures reach their peak

The heat is relentless and will peak this Wednesday. Temperatures remained high overnight, and tropical lows extended to many points beyond the coast. And highs will generally peak, especially in the Girona and Barcelona regions.

We will have unseasonably scorching heat, with many highs of 30 to 35°C, but 37 to 39°C in Ponent, where at some points it will almost reach 40°C. Temperatures could also exceed 35°C in the pre-coastal region, in Pla de Bages and Conca de Tremp. The atmosphere will be sweltering, worthy of the worst days of the summer heatwave. On the coast, temperatures will also reach or slightly exceed 30°C in many cases, with very marked muggy conditions.

The day will be cloudy with a few skies due to the presence of heavy dust and some high, thin clouds. This cloudiness could cause the temperature to drop slightly in the southern interior.

Intense heat all week

On Thursday, temperatures will generally drop slightly. They will no longer reach the extreme values of Wednesday, but the atmosphere will remain very summery. In fact, temperatures will remain clearly above average throughout the week, and even between Friday and Saturday there could be another warm peak in the west of the country.

In the medium term, no clear decline in temperatures is foreseen, and they will remain high for at least a week and a half. All this with plenty of sunshine and suspended dust, but with the risk of some mud showers in the Pyrenees and in the west. Perhaps more cold air will arrive at altitude on Sunday, and the storms will become more pronounced.

Heat Overview

Temperatures soared sharply this Tuesday, with most highs above 30°C. For the first time this year, temperatures reached and exceeded 38°C in Ponent, with a very torrid atmosphere. Tropical lows are also worth noting, as they spread to many locations early this morning, including inland and in elevated areas of the pre-coastal region and Central Catalonia. Noteworthy cases include the Raval neighborhood of Barcelona, ​​where temperatures barely dropped below 24°C throughout the night, while several coastal locations also remained above 22°C. Cities such as Lleida and Girona experienced their first tropical night early Tuesday morning, but today it cooled off further at night.

In short, a very warm and extraordinary atmosphere for the first half of June. There were also strong, irregular storms yesterday in the Pyrenees, Pre-Pyrenees, and some nearby areas, particularly affecting Berguedà, where rainfall reached nearly 30 l/m² in municipalities such as Castellar de n'Hug and La Pobla de Lillet. In some cases, there was severe hail, leaving large stones up to 3 or 4 centimeters in diameter. It is not yet known whether there has been significant material damage. These are the highest maximums recorded on Tuesday:

38.4 °C, Torres de Segre

38.3 °C, Lleida

37.9 °C, Alcarràs

37.7 ºC, Vila 37.4 °C, Almadraba de Seana

37.4 °C, Seròs

37.2 °C, Alfarràs

37.2 °C, Mollerussa

37.1 °C, Viñedo Alguaire

37 °C, Tàrrega