At the end of February, 66.2% of mainland Portugal was in extreme drought, 29.3% in severe drought and 4.5% in moderate drought.

According to the drought meteorological index (PDSI) available on the IPMA page, the districts of Bragança, Viseu, Guarda, Castelo Branco, Leiria, Lisbon, Santarém, Setúbal, Évora, Beja and Faro were in extreme drought.

Worsening

The report also indicates that at the end of February there was a worsening of the meteorological drought situation throughout the territory with an increase in the area in the most severe, severe and extreme drought classes.

The institute classifies the meteorological drought index into nine classes, which varies between “extreme rain” and “extreme drought”.

In addition to the drought index, the IPMA Climatological Bulletin indicates that the month of February, in mainland Portugal, was the 3rd driest since 1931 (driest in 2012 and 1934).

High temperatures

The average value of the average air temperature (11.31 degrees Celsius) was higher than the normal value in the period 1971-2000 (+ 1.33 degrees), with the 10th warmest February since 1931 and the 5th since 2000 (highest: 2020, 12.43 degrees).

The IPMA also states that the average maximum air temperature was the 2nd highest since 1931 (highest in 2020, 17.89 degrees), with an average value of 17.38 degrees.

With regard to the average value of the minimum air temperature (5.25 degrees), it was lower than the normal value.

The lowest value of the minimum temperature was recorded on February 6th in Miranda do Douro (-4.9 degrees), in the district of Bragança, and the highest value in Zambujeira (Beja) on the 22nd with 26.3 degrees.

Water in the soil

As for the percentage of water in the soil, the IPMA reveals that at the end of February there was a decrease in the values ​​in the North and Center regions and in particular in the districts of Bragança and Guarda.

According to the IPMA, in these districts and in the Alentejo and Algarve, the percentage of water in the soil is below 20%.