The capital of Vallès Occidental has already accumulated 31 tropical nights this year: two in June, 13 in July, and 16 during the first 20 days of August. According to Aleix Serra, head of data quality control at the Servei Meteorològic de Catalunya (Meteocat), it has been an exceptional summer, and nocturnal temperature is a good indicator for assessment.
In the last decade, five summers did not exceed ten tropical nights (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2024), four others ranged between 11 and 20 (2016, 2017, 2022, and 2025), and in 2023, 26 nights were recorded. This year, with 31, it surpasses all previous records. Serra does not rule out the possibility of more tropical nights before the end of August.
Historically, June typically has fewer than two tropical nights, while values increase significantly in July and August. Sabadell's geographical location, between the inland area and the coast, influences this pattern. The sea temperature, cooler at the beginning of summer, helps moderate June nights, while the effect intensifies in July and August.
Sabadell has experienced the warmest start to summer in history, with an average maximum temperature of 32.7 ºC over the last two months, 3.2 ºC above the historical average (29.5 ºC). Nights have also been warmer than usual, with significant anomalies compared to the 2010-2025 series average.
The Meteocat technician highlights an undeniable upward trend in temperatures and predicts that this summer could be the warmest on record for some time, although he acknowledges annual fluctuations.
Regarding torrid nights (minimums above 25 ºC), the highest temperature recorded in Sabadell since 2008 was 24.4 ºC on the night of August 23, 2023. According to official data, no torrid nights have been registered in the city.
This absence of torrid nights in official records is explained by the location of the Meteocat meteorological station in the Parc Agrari, away from the urban area and surrounded by agricultural land. According to Serra, a station located in an urban setting, such as Sabadell City Hall, would record higher temperatures, with variations of two to four degrees during the night.
Meteocat defends the need to maintain stations outside urban centers to better document climatic trends without anomalies typical of urban areas.
