The last drought bulletin, released today and reporting on February 15, indicates lower than normal percentage values ​​of water in the soil throughout the territory, with the Northeast and South regions reaching values ​​below 20%.

The document, which highlights the South region and some places in the districts of Bragança and Castelo Branco, points to 38.6% of the territory in extreme drought (11.5% at the end of January), 52.2% in severe drought (34 .2% at the end of January) and 9.2% in moderate drought.

“The degree of severity of the meteorological drought on February 15, 2022 is higher than in 2018 and 2005, with a higher percentage in the severe and extreme drought classes, which corresponds to about 91% of the territory”, says the IPMA.

The institute also says that until the end of February, significant precipitation is not expected throughout the territory and that, in relation to air temperature, the trend will be “towards higher than normal values ​​for the entire territory, especially for the Centre and South”.

In a preview of the meteorological situation, they add that “it will be very likely the continuation of the meteorological drought situation at the end of February, with almost the entire territory in the most serious classes of the PDSI index”.

The IPMA recalls that the average value, for the Portuguese mainland, of the amount of precipitation until February 15th (7.1mm) corresponds to 7% of the normal value in the period 1971-2000.