Barcelona is facing an extreme heatwave this Thursday, 28 May, with temperatures set to challenge historical May records across the city and wider Catalonia. The hottest conditions are expected in Barcelona and along the coast today, while inland areas should peak on Friday, 29 May.
Forecasters expect 32 to 34 degrees Celsius across the Barcelona plain and coastal strip. Higher areas, including parts of Collserola Natural Park and the upper city, could reach 34 to 35 degrees Celsius. In the pre-coastal areas, such as the Vallès-Penedès depression, highs may climb to 35 to 36 degrees Celsius.
According to betevé, the heat is being driven by several factors. Temperatures at altitude are rising sharply, with 20 degrees Celsius forecast at 1,500 metres, around eight degrees above the seasonal average. Surface models also point to a south-westerly wind, known locally as garbí, which is expected to push temperatures higher across the territory.
The heatwave puts several May records at risk. Barcelona’s highest recorded May temperature is 34.4 degrees Celsius, set on 22 May 2022. That same period also saw very high temperatures across the region, alongside a severe drought.
Meteocat has also recorded notable May highs at stations across the city, including 33.4 degrees Celsius in the Raval, 34.5 degrees Celsius in Zona Universitària, and 33.8 degrees Celsius at Barcelona Zoo. The Les Corts-Can Bruixa observatory, which has data going back to 1987, recorded its absolute maximum of 33.1 degrees Celsius on 22 May 2022.
Across Catalonia, the highest May temperatures on record include 38.5 degrees Celsius in Castellbisbal and Anglès, also recorded on 22 May 2022, according to Meteocat. The Agència Estatal de Meteorologia (AEMET) has recorded an absolute maximum of 36.8 degrees Celsius in Lleida and 37.3 degrees Celsius at Girona airport. Barcelona has never recorded a torrid minimum above 25 degrees Celsius in May, with the city’s highest minimum at 22.6 degrees Celsius, recorded at Les Corts-Can Bruixa on 29 May 2001.
Friday should bring a slight drop in Barcelona’s coastal areas as sea breezes set in, but inland parts of Catalonia will keep heating up. AEMET expects temperatures to rise by another one to two degrees Celsius in parts of Ponent and the Pyrenees, with highs of 38 to 40 degrees Celsius forecast for the Lleida plain and the interior of the Ebre region.
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Originally published by betevé. Read original article.
