Portugal, hit by an exceptional drought throughout its territory, experienced the month ofhottest july in 92 years“, announced Friday, August 5 the national meteorological institute in its monthly climate bulletin.
This is the monththe hottestsince comparable meteorological data began to be collected, according to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA).
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The average maximum temperature value was 31.16 degrees Celsius, the IPMA said, adding that during this period the thermometer reached an all-time high of 47 degrees for the month of July. This temperature was recorded on July 14 in the Pinhao meteorological station (north). In terms of precipitation, the month of July was4th driest month since 2000“, the amount of rain that fell corresponding to “barely around 22% of the average“, indicates the institute. The drought has also worsened. At the end of July, 55% of the territory was classified as “severe drought“and 45% in extreme drought”.
In July, the heat wave that hit Portugal and other countries in Europe caused devastating forest fires. According to scientists, repeated heat waves are an unequivocal marker of global warming due to human activities and these heat waves are expected to multiply, lengthen and intensify. Portugal had experienced an early drought this year, with a winter that was the fourth hottest and fifth driest since 1931.