After Barcelona set a new September high of 35.5°C, storms are expected to bring cooler air to the city from Wednesday. Much of the surrounding region remains under a yellow alert for high temperatures, but Barcelona is forecast to avoid the worst of the heat, with unsettled skies and rain instead.
The heat lingers a little longer today. Temperatures are expected to reach 33°C by late afternoon, with the heat index climbing to 36°C. The morning starts clear; clouds will build by midday, and light rain is likely by evening. The Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (AEMET) has issued a yellow alert for parts of the province, but Barcelona’s city center is not included. Information from El País, citing Observatori Fabra, the city reached 35.5°C on September 5th, setting a new September record. The previous high of 34.1°C was set just a day earlier, breaking a record that had stood since 1914.
Wednesday will begin under heavy clouds, with a good chance of thunderstorms through the morning. Metropoli Abierta reports that Meteocat and AEMET forecast a 75% chance of thunderstorms in Barcelona that day, followed by up to an 85% probability of rain on Thursday. By Wednesday afternoon, the risk of storms will ease, though clouds will remain. Temperatures will fall sharply, with highs around 29°C and lows near 20°C, making for a much cooler day. The southern breeze will continue, without the oppressive heat. ARA reports that a cold upper-level trough is bringing storms and lower temperatures across Catalonia, ending an unusual heatwave.
Thursday’s forecast calls for less rain, though the unsettled pattern will continue. The morning will be cloudy, with skies clearing as the day goes on. Temperatures will range from 19°C to 28°C, with mild southern winds. In the future to the weekend, Saturday may bring brief showers and cloudy spells. Sunday should be mostly cloudy but dry, with highs near 29°C and lows around 21°C. Winds will shift slightly to the southeast, bringing gentle breezes across the city.
Nearby towns will also see changing skies and temperatures, with occasional light rain and sunny periods. ARA reports that Meteocat expanded its official warnings for heavy rainfall in Catalonia: red alerts cover Bages-Penedès, Alt Penedès, Garraf, Baix Llobregat and Vallès Occidental, while orange alerts apply to the rest of Barcelona province and parts of Girona and Tarragona. The wider region is no stranger to sudden weather shifts, as recent heavy rains in Catalonia closed schools and disrupted daily life. Barcelona is expected to avoid such extremes this week, but the forecast shows how quickly summer weather can turn.
For residents, the sudden switch from heat to cooler, stormier weather means changing routines and keeping an eye on the forecast. The city’s infrastructure, accustomed to long dry spells, now has to handle bursts of rain and shifting temperatures. This pattern is familiar in Mediterranean summers, when hot spells can quickly give way to storms, but this week’s shift has come quickly. Barcelona’s move from heatwave to storm mode without major disruption reflects the city’s ability to recover, even as the local climate remains unpredictable. Summer in Barcelona rarely follows a script.
