Spain sees 3rd wettest autumn this century

 

Spain's Ministry of Agriculture has reported how 2012 was the 3rd-wettest autumn this century, with 43% more rain than usual for the period between September and November.

The country received an average of 265 millimeters of rain in the three-month period, with only 2003 and 2006 getting more rain over the same months in the past 12 years, the ministry announced on it's website today.

The wet weather brought relief from Spain's 2nd-driest summer in 60 years, which saw the wheat harvest fall 26% this year due to the drought, while olive-oil production plunged 58%.

"The three autumn months were wet," the ministry wrote. "As the season progressed the positive anomaly of rainfall became more noticeable, so while in September average monthly rainfall exceeded normal values by 35%, in October it was 40% and for November around 50%."

Most of Andalusia, which accounts for more than 60% of Spain's durum wheat area, received more than twice the usual amount of rain for the period, according to the report.

The south of Castile-La Mancha got more than double usual rainfall, while the north got 25% to 100% more. The region contributed around 17% of Spain's soft wheat production and 30% of barley for this year, according to Cooperatives Agro-Alimentarias.

Most of Castile and Leon, the country's biggest grain- growing region with 45% of soft-wheat acreage in 2012 and 41% of barley, saw rainfall 50% above normal levels. The northwest of the region was drier than normal, while the central west was wetter.

Temperatures in Spain were an average 16 degrees Celsius in the same September to November period, 0.5 degree above normal, the ministry wrote.