Average temp for August tops 25 degrees

 

Spain had its second-hottest August since 1961 and the month was also the third-driest as a pattern of above-normal warmth and lower-than-usual rainfall continues, the Agriculture Ministry's weather service reported.

Temperatures reached an average of 25.4 c during August, 2 degrees above normal, the ministry wrote in a report on its website today.

Only 2003 was warmer in the past 51 years, according to the ministry. Rainfall in August was 9 millimeters (0.35 inch) on average compared with 24 millimeters normally.

The heat and drought follows warmer and drier conditions than usual in July, an "extremely warm" June and below-normal rainfall in May. April was the only month this year that was wetter than usual, after the December-to-February period was the driest since at least 1947, according to ministry data.

Temperatures peaked at 45.9 degrees Celsius at Seville airport on Aug. 11 and 44.5 degrees Celsius at Cordoba airport, the ministry wrote.

The unusually high temperatures have resulted in one of the worst years on record for both the number of forest fires and the area of land raized.