September 6th was the hottest day of the year, with an average temperature of 29.2 °C, higher than those recorded on August 8th and 7th, with 28.7 and 28.6 °C, respectively, has just revealed the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and of the Atmosphere (IPMA).
On that same day, the average values of the maximum temperature, 38.6 °C, and minimum, 19.8 °C, were also the highest this year.
IPMA adds that, on the 5th and 6th of September, the previous highest maximum temperature values for the month of September were exceeded in 73% of the stations (in a total of 82 stations): 17% on the 5th and 56% on the day 6.
In 24% of the stations, on day 6 the highest maximum temperature values recorded on day 5 were exceeded.
But the minimum temperature was also very high, highlights the IPMA, having surpassed the highest values previously observed in the stations of Vila Real, Guarda, Castelo Branco, Lisbon, Évora, Beja and Vila Real de Santo António.
The IPMA highlights the occurrence of a heat wave, starting at the end of August or 1 September, in most regions of the North and Center and interior of Alentejo.
According to that Institute, «the location of an anticyclone over the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa, extending vertically to the various levels of the troposphere and oriented in a South-North direction, led to the transport of very hot air from the interior of the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa, increased air heating due to strong subsidence (descent) of air and light wind».
This meteorological situation “has given rise to the intensification of the heating of the air close to the ground, with extremely high air temperature values, especially in the southwest region of the Iberian Peninsula”.
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