Portugal was literally parched this July: The driest month of the century is behind us

You can more or less guess what the weather is like here in the summer months, but this year July was on a completely different level. Frankly, when you walk on the street or outside, you already feel that drought, that scorching weather where not even a leaf moves, in your bones. The preliminary data announced by the Marine and Atmospheric Institute (IPMA) clearly confirmed with numbers how justified our feelings were.

Not Drops, Almost No Rain

When you look at the numbers, the seriousness of the situation becomes clearer. The average rainfall in July remained at only 0.8 millimeters. This rate is even less than 8% of the normally expected rainfall amount.

We can say that no drops have officially fallen on the mainland, except for the Viana do Castelo and Braga regions. Drought conditions, which affected 60% of the country at the end of June, unfortunately spread rapidly by the end of July, covering the entire country in a yellowish drought. This situation, which is mild to moderate for now, makes everyone think about everything from agriculture to daily life.

Temperatures Peaked

Of course, the drought did not come alone; The temperatures were also at a staggering level. The average air temperature reached 24.04°C, making it the seventh warmest July on record since 1931.

The heat wave that hit the northern and central regions in the interior, especially in the first days of the month (between 2-5 July), made life very difficult. The clearest evidence of how high the thermometers had risen was the scorching temperature of 44.3°C measured in Mora on July 3.

Fire Risk Is Coming

Naturally, when such low rainfall, extreme heat and drought come together, the risk of fire, which is our biggest fear as we enter August, has also increased. More than 60 municipalities, including the Faro region, are currently on alert under the highest fire danger level. The final climate report to be published by IPMA in the middle of the month will reveal how serious this situation is.

Source: Portugal News (Tereza Pedro news)

Image Source: Envato Elements (Author: Wirestock)