As local rainfall finally provides some relief for the parched land around Calasparra the Met Office has declared this year the driest since 1941.
Between October 2013 and September 15, 2014 just 112 litres of rain fell per square metre: 36% of the normal annual rainfall. In order to reach the annual norm the region needs some 175 litres per week which, according to the Met office is “highly unlikely.”
There was some rain in June: 22 litres per square metre; July was normal; and August was dry with just 0.,4 litres per square metre, 7% less than usual.
On June 16 and 17 some 28 litres of rain fell per square metre in Calasparra and on June 21 some 21 litres fell in just half an hour causing extensive flooding and damage.
The average temperature during the summer was higher than usual at around 31 degrees centigrade and on August 10, 11, 26 and 27 temperatures soared into the 40´s. During the first two weeks of September temperatures in the region hovered around 35 degrees centigrade, between 1.5 and 3 degrees higher than the average.
Despite the current storms hitting the region the Met Office predicts that the autumn, which officially beings today, Tuesday, will be warmer than usual.
