Barcelona and the rest of Catalonia are set for a prolonged spell of intense heat, with temperatures expected to peak around Saint John's Eve. The current heatwave began over the weekend and is forecast to last until the end of June, according to meteorological forecasts.
High-pressure systems over south-west Europe are driving the heat, as air descends and warms, building temperatures at ground level across the region. Barcelona's meteogram, which analyses temperatures at 1,500 metres, shows values well above the climatic average for the next 15 days.
Forecasters say temperatures could be 6C to 8C above average between the summer solstice and Saint John's Eve. For readers following wider coverage of the region, see our Catalonia news page.
Inland areas are expected to see the highest temperatures, comfortably above 35C and potentially close to 40C in the hottest parts of Ponent and the Ebro Valley. In Barcelona, maximum temperatures are forecast to be between 30C and 32C in the coming days, although parts of the city, especially higher areas, could reach 34C or 35C before Saint John's Eve.
Tropical nights are also expected, with minimum temperatures averaging between 21C and 24C. That means little overnight relief for residents in Barcelona and across much of Catalonia.
The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, ECMWF, uses an Extreme Forecast Index, or EFI, to assess unusual weather. For the next 10 days, from 13 to 23 June, EFI values above 0.8 are forecast across much of Catalonia, pointing to very unusual or extreme temperatures for the time of year. The ECMWF explains the index on its official site: ecmwf.int.
Recent years have also brought increasingly hot Junes in Barcelona and Catalonia. The Fabra Observatory recorded its hottest June on record in 2025, with an average temperature of 26.0C, 4.7C above the 1991 to 2020 average. Last year, the observatory also logged a record high of 37.9C on 30 June, beating the previous mark of 37.7C set in 2019. Authorities are expected to monitor the situation closely as the heatwave continues.
