2nd hottest autumn in 40 years in Mallorca

IT has been the second hottest autumn in the last 40 years, according to the Balearic Meteorology Agency.

The hottest was in 2006. In Mallorca, temperatures were on average 1.4 degrees Celsius higher than is usual during the autumn months, according to the agency’s director Agusti Jansa.

The average autumn rainfall in the Balearics was higher than usual, while other parts of Spain have been drier. While rainfall in September and October was half what it usually is in these months, November more than made up for it, with rainfall nearly triple the average rainfall for this month, Jansa said. Son Torrella in Puig Major in particular had extremely high rain levels, with 670 litres per square metre registered in November.

Of this 400 litres fell in just two days, November 6 and 7 due to a storm that developed in the Mediterranean sea. Rainfall in Palma de Mallorca reached new records with 192 litres per square meter at Son Sant Joan airport and 191 at Portopi station.

Due to no polar air arriving last month, the icy season only started last Monday. This year will close as the hottest year in recent history for Spain, experts say. In the Balearics it was 0.7 degrees hotter than usual this year.

The months that were the hottest than usual were April, May and November, according to metrological agency Aemet.

So far December has been 1.3 degrees hotter, although experts believe that temperatures for the coming winter months will be similar to temperatures of previous years and the same for rainfall levels.

Photo credit: Pepetravel.com