Barcelona hit 35.5°C on Saturday, setting a new September temperature record and breaking a mark that had stood since 1914. It is the city’s hottest start to September in more than a century. The previous record, 34.1°C, had already fallen the day before.
Emergency services remain on alert as the heatwave continues across Catalonia. The Catalan Meteorological Service expects extreme conditions to last until at least Wednesday. Civil Protection has extended its heat warning through the weekend, citing health risks and a higher chance of wildfires. La Vanguardia and other Spanish outlets reported that Protecció Civil de la Generalitat activated the Procicat alert for the entire weekend. Meteocat said the heat would first affect Priorat, Ribera d’Ebre and Segrià, then spread to Girona, Barcelona, Catalunya Basic and Lleida. On September 2, the Fabra Observatory in Barcelona recorded 33.6°C, setting a new September maximum for the station in 113 years of data, La Vanguardia reported.
Other parts of Catalonia are also experiencing extreme temperatures. Thermometers have climbed above 40°C in the Ebro region, Lleida, Camp de Tarragona and the interior of Barcelona province. Alcarràs in Segrià reached 41.2°C, while Lleida and Masroig in Priorat also topped 40°C. The heat is lingering at night: minimum temperatures in Barcelona have remained at 24.5°C, information from the Observatorio Fabra. The highest temperature in Catalonia during this episode was recorded in Vinebre (Tarragona), where it reached 41.8°C on September 4, setting an absolute September record for the region, EFE and Última Hora reported.
The impact is immediate. On Saturday, two residential areas in Tordera (Maresme) were evacuated because of a wildfire. Firefighters had stabilized it by midday. Heat and dry conditions have left much of the region at risk. Protecció Civil has urged people to take extra care in natural areas and avoid activities that could start fires, with wildfire risk already high, La Vanguardia reported.
Catalonia’s emergency services remain on alert after recent extreme weather. As reported earlier, Civil Protection has been operating under heightened alert because of increased fire risk and public safety concerns during major events. ARA reported that the summer of 2026 was the hottest ever recorded in Catalonia. The Fabra Observatory registered 76 days between June and August when the maximum temperature exceeded 30°C, surpassing all previous records.
Temperature records in Barcelona and across Catalonia continue to fall. Data from the Observatorio Fabra point to a historic anomaly, while the ongoing heatwave is testing city infrastructure and emergency plans, and disrupting daily routines. Authorities expect the heatwave to continue, with public health concerns and the risk of further disruption still in focus.
