2017 is already ending and we are going to make a meteorological balance that has left us. From snowfalls on the Levante beaches, to temperatures close to 40 degrees in late winter, this is the summary of 2017.
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Summary of the year
During 2017, abnormal temperatures close to 40 degrees Celsius (XNUMX degrees Fahrenheit) were recorded at the end of winter. Snowfall was also recorded in unusual locations, such as the beaches of Levante. The first storm to be given a name, Ana, also occurred. Therefore, this year has been a bit different from the rest, and its abnormalities can be attributed to the effects of climate change, a topic that has been analyzed in depth in other articles such as the impact of humans on the climate.
In January of 2017 it was snowing at sea level, something that has not been seen for 30 years in towns such as Torrevieja, Denia, Jávea or Malaga. This storm, which was quite strong, caused the fall of more than twenty high voltage towers, leaving thousands of people without electricity. In addition, dozens of drivers were trapped on the roads and many train travelers.
February was one of the wettest months of the year, in which the rains reached levels 36% more than the normal average, falling more than 150 liters per square meter in Malaga and around 200 liters in points of the southwest, which reflects the importance of studying the climatology in these extreme events, as detailed in the difference between meteorology and climatology.
There were several episodes of strong wind, rain, and snow with intense waves, with winds exceeding 100 kilometers per hour, leaving more than 11 people injured due to falling roofs and traffic accidents. These extreme events are indicative of the need to address measures to address vulnerability in Spain.
More heat and less rain
The month of March was very hot, registering very high temperatures for the time we were in. Several records were broken and it was another of the few months of the year in which it rained more than usual. Even in Alicante and Barcelona it reachedlover six times more than usual in a single day. This phenomenon has already been an indicator of changes in the climate that are related to extreme events such as those analyzed in .
In April, we experienced a massive waterspout that knocked down trees, streetlights, and furniture in Menorca, and the drought that would continue for the rest of the year was announced. Drought in Spain has been a recurring theme, the severity of which has been documented in several reports, including its effects on different regions, as discussed in the drought in Mauritania.
May was a very hot year, with several temperature records, that touched 38 degrees in Ourense or 37 in Granada. During this month, extreme conditions also highlight the need to pay attention to how they can affect the environment, as mentioned in drought research elsewhere.
Although we're not talking about meteorology, we can't summarize the year without mentioning the Doñana fire. It erupted during the first heat wave in June, the hottest of the century. We've experienced the worst environmental disasters, such as the Doñana fire, a biological treasure. In Córdoba, temperatures of 44,5 degrees were recorded.
In July, the highest temperature recorded at a main station was 46,9 degrees in Córdoba, and several observatories broke the record for daily precipitation as a result of storms associated with a DANA, a phenomenon that was repeated at the end of August and caused a sharp drop in temperatures during the final days of the holidays. This situation has highlighted the need for studies on phenomena such as the one that will be analyzed in atypical cyclones in the Mediterranean.
In August temperatures of 29 degrees were witnessed, two degrees higher than that recorded last year at the same time. This reflects a trend that has continued over time, suggesting the need for a review of climate policies, a topic that has been discussed in .
The worst drought in history
September has become the driest month of the century, with reservoirs reaching critical levels and, in some, populations beginning to emerge that had been covered by water since the 60s. This drought phenomenon requires an analysis of the climatic conditions that have led to this serious situation, which has been discussed in other articles on drought in the past.
In October we had the passage of Hurricane Ophelia near the area of Galicia that aggravated the situation of the fire that spread to Portugal and Asturias. More than 35.000 hectares of land razed, with 70% more area burned than the previous year. The effects of climate change have been a significant factor in the intensification of these fires, as can be seen in documentation from other regions.
Finally, in the months of November and December, the rains began to fall, although not enough to recover critical levels. In December it was possible to see a storm with its own name, Ana, formed by a process of explosive cyclogenesis.
