Records tumble in Catalonia as end of heatwave in sight

Catalonia began to breathe a little more easily on Monday, after four days in a row of temperatures above 40ºC and record figures registered over the weekend in 83 of the country's 145 weather stations.

With temperatures forecast to fall between 1 and 5ºC over the next couple of days, especially on the coast and in the Girona and Barcelona areas, the western region of Lleida and Central Catalonia will continue to feel the full effects of the heatwave.

In fact, it is these areas where many of the record temperatures were registered, with 43.1ºC noted in Lleida city on Saturday, the highest figure since records began 40 years ago, and the municipality of Alcarràs reaching a high of 43.8ºC.

According to the Catalan meteorological service, some 10 municipalities registered temperatures over 43ºC, a situation that is a first since records began. 

However, it seems that temperatures above 40ºC are not so uncommon. In fact, in the past 25 years there have 17 summers in which temperatures have exceeded 40ºC in Catalonia, with the high registered first in June on seven occasions.