With temperatures approaching 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) in some areas, Spain’s weather service Emmett said Wednesday that Spain had its warmest January since current records began in 1961.
The average temperature in mainland Spain in January 2024 was 8.4 degrees Celsius, 2.4 degrees above the average for the same period and 0.4 degrees above the previous record set in 2016, Amemet said.
Last month, temperatures reached over 20 degrees Celsius at about 400 weather stations, nearly half the country.
Temperatures rose to 29.5 degrees Celsius in eastern Valencia, 28.5 degrees Celsius in Murcia in the southeast, and 27.8 degrees Celsius near Malaga in the south, levels typically seen in June.
Unfavorable winter weather has drawn people to beaches and outdoor cafes across Spain, delayed the start of the ski season and worsened a years-long drought in the northeastern region of Catalonia and southern Andalusia.
January was “overall a wet month, but the distribution of rainfall was very uneven. At least it rained where it was needed most,” said Ruben Del, a spokesman for Emet. Campo said in a post to X.
Spain has already experienced its hottest year in 2022 since Emmet annual records began, with annual average temperatures reaching nearly 15.5 degrees Celsius.
This is the first time that the annual average temperature has exceeded 15 degrees.
The Catalan government last week declared a state of drought emergency for much of Spain’s second city Barcelona and its surrounding areas, paving the way for tighter water use restrictions after three years without heavy rain.
The move came after water levels in reservoirs in the Mediterranean region fell below 16% of full capacity, a threshold set by authorities to apply new water-saving measures that affect around 6 million people.
Water levels in some of Catalonia’s reservoirs are so low that old bridges and even church bell towers are reappearing in some areas.
Measures to curb water use include banning the use of fresh water in swimming pools, except where permitted for use in sports. Cars can now be washed only with recycled water, and public gardens are irrigated with groundwater.
The measure aims to reduce the amount of water used to irrigate crops by 80 percent, double the 40 percent cut introduced last November.
Industry must reduce water use by 25%, compared to 15% previously.
– “Complex situation” –
Catalonia is facing its worst drought since records began in 1916, with rainfall for the past three years falling below the region’s average.
According to the local government, this drought lasted more than twice as long as the previous drought in 2008.
Andalusia is also suffering from a severe drought, with local authorities warning that water restrictions will be needed in Seville and Malaga this summer if there is not enough rain by then.
Spain’s two most populous regions, Andalusia and Catalonia, are both preparing to import fresh water by boat if needed.
“We are facing a very complex situation,” Agriculture Minister Luis Planas told reporters in Madrid after January’s record temperature report.
“Spaniards are well aware that climate change is here,” he added.
Experts say climate change caused by human activities is increasing the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events such as heat waves, droughts and wildfires.
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