In a characterization of last month, IPMA highlights the fact that September was the second hottest on record, after September last year, and that the global average temperature was 16.17 degrees Celsius (°C), 0.73°C above the 1991-2020 average value.

The IPMA also highlights estimates that the month was around 1.54°C warmer than the pre-industrial average of 1850-1900, being the 14th month “in a period of 15 months in which the surface air temperature global average exceeded 1.5°C”.

The value of 1.5ºC above the pre-industrial average is what according to scientists should not be exceeded to prevent serious and irreversible impacts of global warming. It was established as a goal not to be exceeded by practically all countries in the world at the climate summit in Paris in 2015, from which the so-called Paris Agreement emerged.

According to IPMA, in Europe, the average air temperature was 1.74°C above the 1991-2020 average value. It was the second hottest September, after September 2023.

Air temperatures in Europe, the Institute says, were above average in eastern and northeastern Europe, with heat waves in Norway and Sweden and, below average, in much of Western Europe, including France, the largest part of the Iberian Peninsula and Iceland.

In mainland Portugal, it was a month classified as cold in terms of temperature and dry in terms of precipitation.

The average value of the average temperature was 0.81ºC below the normal value (1981-2010) and was the fourth lowest since 2000. The maximum temperature had the fifth lowest value and the minimum temperature was the third lowest value (average values ​​and since 2000 ).

As for rain, the value of 32.9 millimeters corresponds to 76% of the average value from 1981-2010. There was more rain in the second fortnight and especially in the north and center.

The area of ​​mainland Portugal experiencing meteorological drought decreased in the north and center regions. South of the Tagus River, moderate and severe drought classes predominate, with IPMA highlighting the districts of Beja (interior) and Faro with several locations in the severe drought class.

“At the end of September, around 69% of the territory was in mild to severe meteorological drought”, according to the IPMA bulletin for the month of September. There was no region of the country in extreme drought.