On the first day of the month, in the Alentejo and the Center temperatures were higher than 41º C. The average maximum was almost four degrees above normal

The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA) revealed on Monday that last month was the warmest September since record-keeping. The average temperature was 22.98 ° C, plus 2.8 ° than usual at this time of year.

To find the second September warmer it is necessary to go back to 1985, when the average temperature was of 22.89º C. The IPMA records the temperatures from 1931.

Last month, temperatures peaked around 30 degrees across most of Europe. In Portugal, the meteorological peaks were registered in the Alentejo and in the Center. On the first day of the month, Lousã, Moura, Alvega and Tomar respectively scored 41.6º C, 41.5º C, 41.4º C and 41.3º C respectively.

The average maximum temperature reached 30.2 ° C, 3.9 ° C higher than usual at this time of year.

The minimum was 15.7º C, the fourth highest since 1931. And between the days 10 to 17 and 19 to 27 of September there were two heat waves, in which the thermometer marked 5ºC more than the average value of this period.

September was still a weak month of precipitation. 91.6% of the territory was in weak drought and 6.8 in moderate drought. It was the second driest month of the last 30 years; the first was September 2017. The cold air masses and depressions caused by the Azores anticyclone were pointed out by the IPMA specialist as the origin of this metrological phenomenon.

Due to high temperatures, the fire risk alert is maintained and the critical state has been declared until October 15.

The summer of 2018 started late, with the month of June having been more rain since 2000 and the coldest July since the beginning of the millennium. However, in August there was a reversal, with historic temperatures being recorded in several places. August 4 was the hottest day of the 21st century.