“In mainland Portugal, the month of November 2021 was classified as very cold and very dry”, says the IPMA climate bulletin.

According to the bulletin, the month of November recorded an average air temperature of 11.17 degrees centigrade, with the lowest temperature in November since 2008 (9.95 °C).

The document also emphasises that the average minimum temperature value "was much lower than the normal value", being the 11th lowest since 1931 and the 4th lowest since 2000.

“During the month there was some variability in the mean air temperature values. However, the daily values ​​of minimum daily air temperature stand out, which are almost always lower than the monthly average value. Also noteworthy is the drop in temperature (maximum, average and minimum) from the 22nd onwards, with the 28th showing the biggest deviations from the monthly normal as of the 22nd”, adds the IPMA.

The IPMA also reports that November 2021 was the third driest in the last 90 years, just behind 1981 and 1958 in terms of minimum rainfall.

“The average amount of rainfall in November, 18.9 millimetres, was much lower than the 1971-2000 normal value, corresponding to 17%. During the month there was only significant rainfall on the 1st to the 3rd and 20th to the 21st”, indicates the report, noting that, in the latter period, locally strong showers were registered in the Algarve, accompanied by thunderstorms, the fall of hail and strong wind.

The same document also reveals that at the end of November there was "a significant increase in the area of ​​meteorological drought throughout the territory", highlighting the increase in the intensity of the drought in the southern region, with some locations in the districts of Setúbal, Beja and Faro “in the severe drought class”.

According to the report, more than half of the country (61.6%) is in mild drought, 17.7% in moderate drought and 12.6% in severe drought.