Aemet, the Spanish meteorological agency, has issued a serious warning of long-term drought for the country due to historically low rainfall
Spain has been immersed in a drought in recent years that is increasingly worrying. International organisations and institutions warn of the consequences of climate change on the environment and people’s lives. In 2022, the country recorded 536 liters per square meter, 16% below the normal value (641 liters per square meter).
Last year was the sixth driest since 1961, according to the Spanish precipitation report of the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet). Despite the slight improvement in December due to heavy precipitation, all Spanish accumulation basins were experiencing a meteorological drought – except for those of the Júcar and Segura-.
In view of the danger of the latest records, Aemet issues a serious warning. They explain that a “long-term drought” may occur. This was explained by spokesman Rubén del Campo in statements to the media. “Between the fifth driest year, which was in 1994, and the seventh, which was 1990, there is a very narrow margin, only four liters per square meter difference,” the spokesman emphasized.
An “incipient” long-term drought
Precipitation data collected in the last 12 months shows that Spain as a whole was in meteorological drought at the end of last year. “We can even speak, also at the end of 2022, of an incipient long-term drought, since the accumulated rainfall data over the previous three years (2022, 2021, and 2020) has been scarce enough to begin talking about an incipient long-term drought,” said Rubén del Campo.
Rainfall distribution
2022 was a very dry year in much of the northern third of the peninsula: in many cases, rainfall did not reach 75% of its normal value. The same thing happened in various parts of northern Castilla-La Mancha, eastern Catalonia, the island of Majorca, and in isolated inland areas and large parts of southern Andalucia.
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