April 2017 extremely hot
2017-05-03 (IPMA)
The month of April 2017 in Portugal mainland was extremely hot and extremely dry, being the 5th warmest month of April since 1931.
The maximum temperature value was the highest since 1931 and the minimum temperature value was slightly above normal. During the month (see figure) there were very high values of maximum temperature, much higher than the normal values for this month, of which the highlights are the periods of 10 to 12 and 17 to 19 of April.
Regarding values of mean temperature, 18th and 19th were the hottest of the month, with the value of mean temperature being 19.0°C. The mean value of maximum temperature was highest on 11th, with 28.0°C. Regarding minimum temperature the highest mean value occurred on 18th, with 12.3°C.
On 18th, the highest value of maximum temperature was recorded, 32.9°C, at Aljezur. The highest value of minimum temperature, 19.1°C, occurred on the 12th at Portalegre.
In the month of April, there were heat waves, of great duration and extension, in the following periods:
- 2 to 24, in the districts of Bragança, Guarda and Castelo Branco;
- 2 to 13 and 15 to 24, in other regions of the North and Center-North (with the exception of the coastal area), and in most of the districts of Lisbon, Santarém and Setúbal;
- 2 to 13, in the Central-South and Alentejo regions;
This heat wave by its spatial and temporal extension can be considered the most significant observed in this month since 1941.
Regarding precipitation, the month of April was classified as extremely dry, being the driest since 1931. It should be noted that in about 40% of IPMA’s meteorological stations there was no record of precipitation until April 29th.
According to the Palmer Drought Severity Index - PDSI, at the end of April, there was a significant increase in the drought area, particularly in the North and Central regions with many areas in the classes of moderate to severe meteorological drought. At the end of this month about 96% of the territory was in weak to moderate drought and only the Algarve region was not in a drought situation.
Imagens associadas
Figure - Daily evolution of air temperature from 1 to 30 April 2017 in Portugal mainland
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