Pamplona (EFE).- The spring of 2023 has been the fourth warmest since records exist (1961) and the third driest, reported this Wednesday the territorial delegate of Aemet, Pello Oria, who stressed that there is “a lot of concern ” due to the risk of fires in a summer that can be “very complicated”.
The forestry sector, Oria explained at a press conference, is on alert, because, when a heat wave arrives, “we will return to extreme fire risks” in Navarra. In fact, he has commented, next week an episode of intense heat could be registered in Navarra.
The month of March, according to the data provided by Aemet, has been very warm, with an average of +1.9 degrees compared to the reference temperatures for the period 1991-2020. It was the third warmest month of March since 1961, after those of 1997 (+2.2 degrees) and 2001 (+2.5).
In general terms, March was also very dry, especially in the southern half. The precipitation was 36 % with respect to the reference normal. It was the eighth driest since 1961.
April was very hot and dry, but May was normal
The month of April was also very warm in Navarra, with an average deviation of +1.9 degrees compared to the reference values. It has been the third warmest April in the series after 2011 (+2.9 degrees).
From the pluviometric point of view, April was dry (very dry in the southern half and with a tendency to normal in the northwest). The percentage of precipitation averaged 65% with respect to normal. It has been the 13th driest since 1961.
For its part, the month of May had a normal behavior in terms of temperatures, with a tendency to warm in the Ribera. The deviation from the mean was only +0.1 degrees.
It has also been normal in terms of rainfall, but very contrasted between the northwest, where it was wet, and the Pyrenees and the Ribera, where it was dry. The percentage of precipitation averaged 90 % with respect to the reference normal.
The heat has also been felt in the Region of Pamplona
In general, the quarter has been very warm, only surpassed by those of 2011, 2017 and 2020, and the third driest after those of 1997 and 2021.
In the Pamplona area, according to data from the Noáin airport station, the quarter started cold, but continued periods of heat made it the eighth warmest since 1975.
It has also been a very dry quarter, although the recent rains have somewhat softened the deficit to stand as the ninth driest in the series.
Storms do not increase the level of reservoirs
Oria has indicated that the storms of recent days have not generally alleviated the situation of the reservoirs, since “the level is practically maintained.”
The agricultural year (from September 1, 2022 to August 31, 2023) has been very dry until April 30, with 69% of normal rainfall.
Regarding next summer, he stressed that there is a “high probability of temperatures above normal”, although “to this day we do not know if this summer will be as extreme as last”.