Not only was Spring this year the 15th wettest since 1931, but also it was classified as ‘cold’ by Portugal’s weather service, the IPMA.
Portugal’s Spring ends next week when official Summer starts on the 20th of June but the usual period for Spring weather - March, April, May - averaged 346.4 mm of rain, up 164%.
These readings were lower in the Algarve which, despite storms, rains and outbreaks of pestilence maintained some of its reputation for sunshine.
Sagres had 128.4 mm or rain compared to somewhere that sounds truly dire called Cabril in the Montalegre district where its residents were subject to 787.5 mm of rain over three months.
The weather service said the average maximum and minimum air temperatures also have been lower than normal, but again the Algarve led the field in warmth, "The average monthly values of mean air temperature ranged from 6.7 degrees Celsius in Penhas Douradas in the (traditionally frezing) Guarda district and 16.1 degrees in Faro and Castro Marim in the Algarve."
It persisted down in May also with "The average amount of rainfall the highest fifth since 1931 and the highest in 22 years."
In between these wet and cold weeks, somehow in late March there was an official was drought in the southern region, secifically in the Alentejo and the leeward Algarve which was classified as having a ‘moderate drought.’
The weekend weather will be high 20s Celcius and will carry on like this all of next week with sunny skies and happy people.
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