How the drought in Portugal has worsened (a lot) in the last 25 days: it has been 17 years since there was so little water in winter
No rain forecast until at least February 15
PUB
Since 2005, Portugal has not had so many regions in severe and extreme drought in the middle of winter. The data now updated by the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA) confirm that the problem has worsened a lot since the end of December and already leaves the entire continent in a situation of drought.
As of December 31, IPMA data revealed that 57.7% of the country’s mainland was in dry fault territory. The percentage dropped to 1% by January 25 as more severe droughts increased.
PUB
The year 2021 had ended with 27% of the country in moderate drought, a figure that had doubled to 54% in less than a month. In the drought several increases were even greater: from 9% to 34%.
On the other hand, IPMA officials are also beginning to see a new and more complicated class of drought: extreme drought, which on December 31 did not exist on the map, affects 11% of the territory.
Vanda Cabrinha, a climatologist at the IPMA, told TVI/CNN Portugal that since 2005 there had not been many areas of the country experiencing severe drought at this time of year.
PUB
PUB
PUB
“The drought of 2 was the one that had the highest percentage of drought in several territories in the extreme classes, but the current one (in 2022) is already very close to 2005. Even in the 2012 drought, which had a complicated situation, we were not in a situation as serious as it is now”, details an expert who follows these issues at the IPMA.
No rain forecast until at least February 15
On the map of Portugal, extreme drought today affects much of the Algarve and Alentejo, while severe drought is already extending from part of the Algarve and Alentejo to the districts of Setúbal, Lisbon, Santarém and Leiria, also affecting a good part of Castelo Branco. .
To the North, almost all the rest of the country is in moderate drought, leaving 1% of the territory, in the National Park of the region-Gerês, classified only as a country as being in a drought situation.
To make up for so much lack, it is necessary that they arrive a lot in the coming months, but since February water is only available until then, according to the IPMA, it is very scarce.
PUB
PUB
PUB
