The note from the institute also notes that Portugal has remained immune to the high temperatures recorded in Europe. July was the hottest month on the planet for records, but in mainland Portugal the air temperature was close to normal.

“Although very high air temperature anomalies were recorded in the above-mentioned regions of the globe (Southern Europe), the territory of the Portuguese mainland, in July, air temperature values ​​close to normal and precipitation less than normal were recorded” IPMA highlights.

The reason for the low levels of precipitation on the mainland, according to the institute, is due to the northerly winds in the western region of the Iberian Peninsula caused by the Azores hurricane. They add that “the dominance of the anti-eddy system, so typical in the summer months, did not allow conditions to be created for the occurrence of precipitation in a large part of the mainland”.

These conditions “fostered an increase in the area and intensity of atmospheric drought” causing more areas to experience severe and severe droughts in the Alentejo and Algarve regions.

The International Mine Action Institute concludes that “as of July 31, 97% of the land was in an atmospheric drought state, of which 34% were in the severe and severe drought categories.”