The first quarter of 2024 would have been the warmest for the whole of peninsular Spain in the entire historical series, which starts in 1961, with an average of 9.5 degrees (1.9 ºC higher than normal), and it would exceed by one tenth to 1997 and by 0.4 degrees to 1998 and 2020.
According to data from the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet), although temperatures were low at both the beginning and end of March, it has been a warm month in the country as a whole, especially due to the episode in the central part, very warm for the time.
Aemet assures that the first three months of the year have been the warmest on the Peninsula since records exist (a historical series that begins in 1961). During the month of March, the average temperature has been at least 0.5 degrees higher than normal.
Regarding rain, and after a very rainy month of March in most of Spain, with around 120 liters per square meter, the basins of the western peninsula have managed to emerge from the meteorological drought in which they found themselves, despite the fact that The rest of the country remains in serious water shortage situation.
Considering the rainfall in one year, the basins of the north, northwest, Duero, Tagus, Guadiana and Guadalquivir have emerged from the drought, according to Aemet. With respect to the hydrological year, 2023-2024, rainfall reaches 467 liters per square meter for the entire Peninsula, when the normal amount is 405 liters in these first six months, that is, 15 percent more than normal.
This situation is a consequence of a very rainy March: among the four rainiest of the 21st century. The southwest of the peninsula, the central zone, Galicia and the Pyrenees have been the areas with the highest accumulations. However, this public body specifies that the lack of rain persists in much of Spain if the last three years are taken into account (long-lasting drought).
In much of the peninsula, monthly rainfall exceeded double normal, reaching more than triple in several areas of Andalusia and Castilla-La Mancha. On the contrary, in the eastern area, parts of the Cantabrian Sea and the archipelagos, it was a dry month.
From Aemet, the great geographical differences stand out, because in much of the west and center of the peninsula the rainfall exceeds 150% of normal, while in large areas of the east and in parts of the archipelagos they are below 50% of normal. the usual.
