Last August, the highest maximum temperature value for this month since 1931 was recorded, equaling August 2003, announced by the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA).
In relation to the average temperature, it was the 5th hottest month of August, behind 2003, 1949, 2010 and 2005. The minimum temperature value was also slightly above normal, in 19th position in the 86 years considered.
The average air temperature of 24.2°C was 2°C above the normal value for the 1971-2000 period; the maximum temperature of 32.2°C was higher by 3.4°C and the minimum temperature of 16.1°C corresponded to a positive anomaly of 0.6°C.
In this extremely hot and dry summer 2016, already the months of June and July, and now August, in Mainland Portugal, had been characterized by values of the average air temperature much higher than the normal value and values of the amount of precipitation much lower .
Thus, according to IPMA, the average value of the maximum air temperature was the highest value since 1931, 30.6°C, that is, 2.9°C above the average value.
This was also the 2nd hottest summer since 1931 (after 2005), with an average temperature value of 23.0°C, about 1.8°C above the average value.
On the other hand, since 1931, 6 of the 10 hottest summers have occurred after the year 2000, with summer 2005 being the hottest in 86 years.
The months of July and August 2016 equaled the highest monthly maximum temperature value of August 2003 (32.2°C), being the only three months whose values are above 32°C.
This is also the 5th driest summer since 1931 (after 1938, 1996, 2005 and 1965). The values of the amount of precipitation occurring in the months of June to August, about 20 mm, correspond to about 30% of the average value.
Yesterday the Hydrographic Institute revealed that the average sea water temperature in the Algarve and Costa Vicentina reached the maximum values of the last 16 years, in July and August.
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