On the Portuguese mainland in January, some places in the north and center recorded a heat wave that is considered “the most significant observed in January since 1941”, the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) reported this Saturday.
According to an analysis of the climatological situation in January, published on the IPMA website, from the 22nd to the end of the month, air temperatures were recorded “significantly above the monthly average.”
The heat wave affected about 30% of the continent’s weather stations, IPMA explains, noting that heat waves in Portugal are rare in January.
“It should be noted that of the approximately 60 weather stations analyzed since 1941, 75% of the stations never recorded a heat wave in that month,” the document explains.
The highest number of heat waves in January were recorded at high-altitude stations: Peñas Duradas has experienced seven heat waves since 1941, two of them in 2015. Bragança and Portalegre recorded two heat waves each.
A heat wave occurs when the maximum daily temperature is at least 5°C (degrees Celsius) above the average for that period for at least six consecutive days.
Penas Duradas experienced a heat wave of 13 days in January that will last until this month, Viseu, Cabril and Dunas de Mira for 11 days, and Montalegre, Anadia and Coimbra for 10 days, among other seasons.