Spain experienced the hottest spring on record and the second driest on record, according to the country’s meteorological agency.The scorching temperatures observed this year follow the trend of exceptionally high temperatures in 2022, which marked the hottest year on record in Spain.The Spanish government has earmarked $2.4 billion for drought response measures, including support for urban water reuse and help for struggling farmers.
Spain recorded its hottest spring on record and the second driest on record this year, the state weather agency said on Wednesday.
Rubén Del Campo, spokesman for weather agency Aemet, said the latest data shows a continuation of the extremely high temperatures the country experienced in 2022, which was the hottest year ever recorded in Spain.
The spring heat was accompanied by a lack of rain that will exacerbate Spain’s long-term drought, despite some rainfall over the past month. Spain’s Ministry of Ecological Transition reported this Tuesday that the country’s reservoirs are at 47.4% of their capacity, consolidating a downward trend.
Del Campo pointed out the side effects for the Mediterranean country’s ecosystem. “Surface water temperatures recorded in 2022 were the highest since at least 1940,” he told a news conference, warning that the phenomenon was endangering marine life and their ability to reproduce.
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A woman holds an umbrella to protect herself from the sun during a hot sunny day in Madrid, Spain, on July 18, 2022.
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The situation inside also became much more precarious. “These high temperatures have repercussions on both human health and ecosystems in terms of increasing the likelihood of forest fires,” the spokesman added.
Del Campo also issued predictions for the upcoming summer, which he said would likely be “extremely hot,” albeit with the likelihood of some storms. The Aemet spokesman said that it is not clear that the El Niño weather phenomenon is contributing to the high temperatures expected in Spain. El Niño is a cyclical warming of the world’s oceans and climate, which is expected to return later this year.
The Spanish government last month announced $2.4 billion worth of drought response measures, including funding for urban water reuse and more aid for struggling farmers.
Spain is the first European producer and exporter of fresh fruit and vegetables. The country requested emergency funds from the European Union in April given the dire forecast for this year’s crops.
