According to data from the Portuguese Institute of Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), Portugal experienced the hottest September this year since record-keeping began in 1931.
The institute reported on Wednesday that the average air temperature was 23.4 degrees Celsius, which is approximately 2.9 degrees Celsius higher than the average for the 1991–2020 period. These figures allowed September to be recognized as the hottest since 1931.
Furthermore, the maximum air temperature reached 31.03 degrees Celsius, exceeding the norm by approximately 4.21 degrees Celsius and being the highest in the historical series.
According to the agency, during September the country faced two periods of intense heat. It was also noted that September was the fifth driest month since 2000.
This year, in May, the country recorded the highest monthly temperature, reaching 40.3 degrees Celsius. Last week, IPMA also noted that summer became the third warmest in history.