The weather in the mainland territory has been influenced, since the beginning of February, by high pressure systems that carry cold, dry air in their circulation, with a continental path, according to the Meteorology Institute.
This situation caused a decrease in the observed temperature values, with particular relevance to the minimum. Thus, mainland Portugal has been experiencing, since the beginning of February, a persistence of cold and dry weather, with minimum temperatures in some places with negative values, namely in the interior regions of the mainland territory, with the lowest values being highlighted. recorded: -10.2ºC in Miranda do Douro on February 4th and in Carrazeda de Ansiães -9.5ºC, Bragança -9.0ºC, Penhas Douradas -8.3ºC, Mirandela -7.3ºC, Sabugal, Chaves and Montalegre -7.0ºC and Arouca - 6.0°C, on February 3rd.
However, the lowest historical values observed in these locations were not exceeded, even being well below the lowest value observed on the continent in February 1954, -16.0ºC in Penhas da Saúde.
On the other hand, in the first 45 days of the year, little significant precipitation values (>=1mm) were observed, even with 31 days without precipitation.
This value is very close to that recorded in the same period of the last meteorological drought in 2005, when 29 consecutive days were observed without precipitation. For the same period, the average amount of precipitation accumulated in 2005 and in 2012 was, respectively, 10.4mm and 22.4mm.
Meteorology predicts maintenance of cold and dry weather
According to the forecasting center of IM, it is foreseen for the next days, in particular until the 23rd, the maintenance of cold and dry weather, without the occurrence of significant precipitation.
However, there is a tendency for the anticyclone to weaken and a change in the wind direction to the west from the 21st, with a forecast of an increase in the minimum temperature and an increase in cloudiness.
The absence of significant rainfall until the 23rd should aggravate the meteorological drought situation that today, February 15, places ¾ of the continent at the highest levels of severity, with 5% of the territory in extreme drought, 70% in severe drought and 25% in mild drought.
This situation is consistent with the information previously released by the IM as the most likely scenario for the evolution of the weather drought in February, based on monthly and seasonal forecasts from the European Center for Medium Term Forecasting (ECMWF).
At the end of the month, a new probable scenario for the monthly evolution of the drought situation will be presented, supported by the same source of information, although the monthly and seasonal forecasts for mainland Portugal must always be regarded with due reserve, as a result of the current limitations of the scientific knowledge applied in forecasting models for the medium term, particularly in the latitudes where the Portuguese mainland is located.
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