Barrios Luna reservoir in León.
Image - Libertaddigital.com
Like every month, the AEMET makes a summary of how the weather has behaved. November 2017, if we have to summarize it in two words, would undoubtedly be these: very dryRainfall was so scarce that reservoirs reached 4% of their capacity in many parts of the northwest of the peninsula, and up to 30% in the south and southeast of the country. This situation highlights the serious problem that exists in Spain regarding the drought and water scarcity, impacting both livestock and agriculture.
The situation was so dramatic that in many areas there was talk of restrictions. Water restrictions, for livestock and for agriculture.
86% drier than usual
Yes, gentlemen yes: it rained 86% less than usual using the 1981-2010 reference period. With accumulated rainfall of 7,8 liters per square meter, it's no wonder reservoir levels dropped so much. The little rain that fell was practically all collected on the 29th, when a cold front crossed the country from north to south. Although widespread, it was also weak and without maritime air entering. These types of conditions, besides being worrying, are a reflection of the negative effects of drought in Spain, which are related to the scarcity of water resources that we face, and which can also be seen in the Mansilla reservoir where the situation has been alarming.
A normal month in terms of temperatures
The average temperature for the month was 11,7 degrees Celsius, so it's been a normal month. However, the temperature range, that is, the difference between the minimum and maximum temperatures, has been very high in many areas. During the day, for example, in many parts of Mallorca, temperatures reached 20°C, but at night they dropped to 8-10°C. It's also important to mention that droughts affect the forest biodiversity that are at risk due to lack of water.
The coldest days were the 9th, 14th, and 30th, with winter values, especially the last days of the month; the warmest were the 3rd, 12th, and 24th. This variability adds to the growing concern about how climate change affects Spain, a topic of debate that reflects the current situation, as indicated in this article on the country's efforts against climate change and the need for adequate measures for its defense.
This is what November 2017 looks like on video
The European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) publishes a monthly video where we can see the different meteorological events that took place.
This sequence was carried out by combining infrared images from the geostationary satellites of EUMETSAT, NOAA, CMA and JMA, which observe the surface of planet Earth every day. The video is, therefore, a very interesting tool to know how the weather behaved during the month.
