It has been so refreshing for us to spend winter in a dry country after many years in the rainy city of Manchester, but it's not all good news. Portugal is currently in a drought situation, and the national weather agency have reported that 91% of the country is enduring severe or extreme drought conditions.

The average rainfall for the first two weeks in February was only 7% of the average over a 30 year period. Add to that the fact that there was no significant rainfall for the rest of the month, and temperatures remained above normal, things are set to get worse.

Back in the UK we would have had hosepipe bans for weeks, even with the ridiculous amount of rainfall that the country experiences. Here the government are also taking action, restricting the use of reservoirs for hydroelectric power production to save water for public consumption. Farmers are asking for financial aid because of a lack of grass for their livestock. You can see in our photos of the barragem (or reservoir) just how low the water level is.

Periods of drought aren’t unusual for the country, but according to scientists, they have become more frequent over the past 20-30 years. By the end of the century, it is expected that Portugal will see a drop in average annual rainfall of 20-40%.

We have had a couple of days in March when we have experienced a little rain, but much more is needed. For those of us who have become accustomed to complaining about rainy weather, it feels odd to now be wishing for rain - but bring it on!
Comments