A week to take advantage of and with more heat (without extremes)

BarcelonaCalm and sunshine have returned this Sunday, leaving behind the heavy storms and downpours that swept through virtually the entire country on Saturday (you'll find a compilation of data and the most notable images from this episode at the end of this report). A radical change in the weather will continue this coming week, with a generally calm and sunny atmosphere. Only a few local, minor afternoon showers will be repeated in the Pyrenees.

In fact, some showers or thunderstorms will still reach the Lleida Pyrenees tonight and at night, which will eventually disappear in the early hours. No new showers or significant storms are expected in the medium term, which is normal for this time of year, as July is a mostly dry month in our country. Temperatures rose on Sunday and will rise further in the coming days. Therefore, it will be hotter and more muggy, but far from extremes and with no heat in sight.

Monday: total calm

The night will once again offer a good night's sleep in most regions. Minimum temperatures will rise, but tropical temperatures—above 20°C—will only be present in coastal and pre-coastal areas, as well as in some areas of the southern interior. Maximum temperatures will also rise a few degrees, but the heat will remain mild and bearable. Many temperatures range from 27°C to 33°C across most of the region.

All with general sunshine and few variations. There will only be some morning fog or low clouds—especially in inland valleys—as well as afternoon clouds in mountain areas that, at most, will leave the occasional shower or scattered sprinkles in the Pyrenees. Not much. A generally placid day, and one to enjoy.

Much calm and more heat in the coming days

Sunshine and calm will prevail throughout the week. These will be days for enjoying the outdoors, with only a few minor and fairly localized afternoon showers in the Pyrenees. A few showers may also arrive around Friday in western regions, but overall, no rain is expected. Temperatures will rise further, especially starting Wednesday. Slightly more intense, midsummer heat will be expected, with increasing muggy conditions along the coast and slightly above-average temperatures. However, no extremes or new heat waves are in sight. We will have typical mid-July weather, with sunshine and a truly summery atmosphere.

Balance of the downpours

Severe storms swept across the country on Saturday. The pocket of cold air hit us hard, and when it collided with the accumulated heat and humidity, this small DANA caused these storms and torrential downpours across the country, in some cases leaving more than 50 l/m². Particularly notable were the regions of Central Catalonia, Baix and Alt Penedès, and parts of the Ebro, where these figures were exceeded, even reaching 100 l/m² locally, and in some cases more than 40 l/m² fell in just half an hour. Even in Els Ports, 68 l/m² were recorded in just 30 minutes, an extraordinary intensity. All this accompanied strong winds, some hail, and numerous lightning strikes, with more than 11,000 across the country.

So much rainfall in such a short period of time caused many incidents, such as flooding and swollen rivers and streams, which in some cases turned streets into veritable rivers. One of the images of the day was the Cardener River, full and dragging cars along its path through Súria, in Bages. There were also some very heavy downpours in parts of the Pre-Pyrenees and Ponent. However, between the northern coast of Barcelona and many parts of the Costa Brava, as well as in the northern regions of Lleida, little rain fell.

The Canaletes station (Alt Penedès) recorded 102 l/m². It was already the wettest day in its 23 years of records. These are the most important records and images from Saturday:

• 102 l/m²: Canaletas
• 100 l/m²: Ports
• 93 l/m²: Sant Martí Sarroca
• 89 l/m²: Ódena
• 88 l/m²: Font-rubí
• 82 l/m²: Gandesa
• 78 l/m²: Inglesola – Tornabous
• 77 l/m²: San Salvador de Guardiola
• 75 l/m²: Vilafranca del Penedès
• 64 l/m²: Vendrell