Spain records the hottest spring in history – 07/06/2023 – World

Spain recorded the hottest spring and the second driest in the country’s history, since data began to be collected in 1961. According to the Ministry of the Environment and the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet), this Wednesday (7 ), above-average markings are expected to follow in the summer.

In most of Spain, temperatures averaged 14.2°C. According to a statement from government agencies, the figure was 1.8ºC higher than the average for the reference period, between 1991 and 2020, in addition to 0.3ºC warmer than the previous highest mark, recorded in 1997. getting used to breaking records,” said Ruben del Campo, spokesman for the national meteorological agency.

Now, Aemet meteorologist Estrella Gutierrez says there is “a high probability” that Spain will experience a hotter-than-normal summer again. According to a report by the newspaper El País, Spain will ban outdoor work when there is a “red or orange” alert decreed by the agency.

The prolonged drought brought a series of consequences for the European country. According to Del Campo, “almost no rain was recorded until the first half of May”, which obviously affected agriculture, including the olive oil sector, which accounts for almost half of world production. The heat and dry climate also bring additional dangers, such as an increased risk of forest fires.

While long-term drought prospects have dimmed slightly thanks to heavy rains in the second half of last month, the problem is far from resolved, Del Campo added.

Torrential rains hit some cities on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, causing inconvenience to the population, with streets and roads flooded, as well as vehicles swept away by the current and damage to crops. There were no records of deaths due to the storms.

Extreme weather phenomena are increasingly common. Scientists claim that the incidents are related to global warming, caused by human activity. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has already highlighted the urgent need for action to contain the climate crisis.

Therefore, strong storms have been recorded in Europe. Floods in northern Italy in early May killed 15 people and left around 23,000 homeless, causing billions of euros in damage.

The Italian government announced an emergency package of more than €2 billion (R$10.7 billion) destined for the Emilia-Romagna region, located in the north of the country, the main area affected by the storms.