Month: January 2020

Rain that fell during December led to a further easing of the drought, but 37.3% of mainland Portugal remains in this situation, according to data from IMPA

According to the drought weather index (PDSI) available today on IPMA website, of these 37.3%, only 3.5% is related to severe drought (eastern Algarve).

Data indicate that in December there was a worsening of the drought situation in mainland Portugal compared to November.

By the end of December however, the northern and central regions were no longer in a drought situation, due to severe and moderate rainfall in much of the north of Cape Mondego.

In the southern region, according to the IPMA, there was a significant easing of the weather drought situation, however, severe drought persisted in the eastern Algarve.

The institute classifies into nine classes the drought weather index, which ranges from “extreme rain” to “extreme drought”.

The report indicates that as of December 31, 2.7% of mainland Portugal was in severe rain, 31.8% in moderate rain, 18.7% in light rain;  24.8% in light drought, , 9.5% normal, 9% moderate drought, 3.5% in severe drought.

The institute classifies into nine classes the drought weather index, which ranges from “extreme rain” to “extreme drought”.

According to the IPMA, there are four types of drought: meteorological, agricultural, hydrological and socioeconomic.

Meteorological drought is directly linked to the rainfall deficit when rainfall is below normal.

Then, as the deficit widens over two, three months, it shifts to an agricultural drought because water deficiencies in the soil are beginning to develop.

If the situation persists, it will develop into hydrological drought, when there is a lack of water in the dams. There is also socioeconomic drought, which is considered when it already has an impact on the population.

In addition to the drought index, the IPMA Climate Bulletin also indicates that December was warm in relation to air temperature and rainy in precipitation.

According to the IPMA, the average value of average air temperature in mainland Portugal (10.99 degrees Celsius) was higher than the normal value by 1.02 degrees, being the third highest since 2000 (highest in 2015 and 2000).

Regarding rainfall, the IPMA indicates that the average amount of precipitation in December was higher than normal, corresponding to about 127% of the monthly normal value.

The IPMA points out that since 2010 there was no precipitation above normal in December.

Precipitation values ​​in the northern and central regions were much higher than the average value, with the highest values ​​recorded in Cabril, Bragança district, (528 mm), Penhas Douradas, Serra da Estrela, (473 mm), Guarda (466 mm) and Covilhã, district of Castelo Branco, (433 mm).

In the southern regions, rainfall was lower than normal, for example, the 47.9 mm of rainfall in Faro corresponds to about 40% of normal (115.6 mm).

On 2^nd January, Patricia Gasper Secretary of State for Internal Administration and David Thomas President Safe Communities Portugal met to discuss a number of matters concerning civil protection.

Patricia Gasper assumed the post under the new Government recently, being responsible for civil protection and road safety. Previously the post was Secretary of State for Civil Protection but this was changed to reflect a broader portfolio with the inclusion of road safety.

Included in the discussions were: public communication during crisis situations such as rural fires; location finding by the emergency services during crisis situations; civil protection and Safe Communities Portugal priorities; prevention and self-protection during rural fires and measures for AL rented accommodation under the Safe Village Safe People program.

These were matters that had been accorded priority with fast tracking where necessary before the main fire season. A strategic approach to communications was discussed.

Also discussed was the role of Civil Protection Volunteer Organisations, of which Safe Communities was one of nine as well as future collaboration and related issues.

In respect of road safety Patricia Gasper explained the priority that needs to be given to the main causes of serious road accidents and that the laws concerning issues such as drink driving and use of mobile phones whilst driving were currently under review.

In the framework of the above a number of ideas were discussed for further consideration

The Algarve and the municipality of Almodôvar, in Baixo Alentejo, are the places that will be most affected by the flu outbreak, which is spreading throughout the country this first week of the year, more precisely between the 1st and 8th.

The Center for Health Studies and Evaluation (CEFAR), of the National Pharmacy Association, predicts that the outbreak will reach grade 4 (high) in the Algarve region and in Almodôvar, so ‘greater turnout is expected’ at health services’.

“In the remaining continental territory and the Azores, the outbreak will reach grade 3 (moderate) in the first week of the year, but still with a tendency to increase new cases”, according to the National Association of Pharmacies.

These forecasts are based on the ‘Pharmacy Alarm Clock’, ‘barometer that anticipates flu activity from drug dispensing data’.

The “Pharmacy Alarm Clock” predicts flu activity, county by county, based on daily dispensing numbers for medicines and health products. The network of pharmacies serves, on average, 520 thousand people per day. This mass contact with the population makes it possible to anticipate the evolution of the epidemic by two weeks.