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Summer 2023: the second warmest in history in the Region of Murcia
The average temperature throughout the high season in the Region hit 26.1ºC
It’s no secret that Spanish summers are becoming warmer and the Region of Murcia has sweltered through a succession of heatwaves this year. As a result, 2023 is officially the second hottest in the community since records began back in 1961, with the average temperature between June 1 and August 31 reaching 26.1ºC, which is 1.6ºC higher than normal.
This is according to Juan Esteban Palenzuela from the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet), who explained that this July was, “along with 2015, the warmest since at least 1941”, blitzing the usual average by a considerable 2.5ºC. Last month, the mean temperature hit 27.4ºC, ranking August as the second warmest in history.
Torrid nights
Alongside scorching days, the Region of Murcia suffered through an unusual number of suffocatingly warm evenings this summer, racking up more tropical nights than ever before. In San Javier, 70 tropical nights were experienced between June and August, Murcia had to contend with 76 and Alcantarilla reported no fewer than 67.
Things became even more uncomfortable in the second half of the summer with plenty of torrid nights, where the thermometers failed to drop below 25ºC during the coolest hours: Alcantarilla recorded seven, only surpassed by the 15 registered back in 2015.
On the other hand, the highest daytime temperature occurred on August 10 at the Cieza station, when the mercury reached a boiling 45ºC, and the hottest nights topped out at 28ºC in Fortuna and la Calera in Ricote, on July 25 and August 3, respectively.
Heavy rainfall
Even with the scorching temperatures, the summer in the Region of Murcia was anything but dry and dusty. During the quarter, some 46.6 litres of rain per square metre fell, which is an extraordinary 146% above average. With countless weather warnings over the high season, the most precipitation was recorded in the Northwest, while the coast was much drier overall.
Caravaca de la Cruz was the hardest hit, accumulating 142 litres during the summer, 128 litres in June alone. But in the Region as a whole, the wettest day was June 1, when almost 50% of the total rainfall for the summer poured down.
In addition, there were 25 days of storm activity with the second highest electrical activity ever seen, with 4,423 discharges, only behind the records of the summer of 2002.
The months ahead
While it’s still early, forecasts for this autumn indicate a probability of between 60% and 70% that the coming months will be up to a degree hotter than what would normally be expected.
More immediately, Aemet has issued several weather warnings in the Region of Murcia this week for rainfall of up to 20 litres per square metre in just one hour, strong gusts and widespread storms.
Find all the latest weather and climate change news here or join our Murcia Weather Watch Facebook group for regular updates
Image: Archive
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