The month of October was the second warmest in the world and the fifth warmest in Europe, according to data published this Monday by the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA).
In a statement, IPMA says that last month was only surpassed by October 2023 and that it recorded a global average temperature of 15.25 °C (degrees Celsius), which represents 0.80 °C above the average value 1991-2020.
The data also indicates that the month of October will have been around 1.65°C warmer than the pre-industrial average of 1850-1900.
This, IPMA notes, is the 15th month in a 16-month period in which the global average surface air temperature exceeded 1.5°C.
In 2015 in Paris, virtually every country in the world signed an agreement (the Paris Agreement) committing to take action to ensure that temperature rise does not exceed 2°C relative to pre-industrial times, and preferably that this increase, caused by greenhouse gases, would not reach 1.5°C.
Regarding Europe, The average value of the average air temperature was 10.83 °C, which, according to IPMA, is 1.23 °C above the average value 1991-2020. It was the fifth warmest October (warmest of 2021).
Air temperatures in Europe were above average (1991-2020) across almost the entire continent. October was much warmer than average in the European sector of the high Arctic and also in the Canadian Arctic, where a record anomaly of 9.5°C was reported for October, the IPMA paper says.
Above-average rainfall was also recorded last month in the Iberian Peninsula, France, northern Italy, Norway, northern Sweden and the eastern Black Sea. IPMA recalls the heavy rains that caused serious flash floods in the region of Valencia, Spain, with more than 200 fatalities.
Precipitation and soil moisture were below average in most of Eastern Europe, particularly in Western Russia, Greece and Western Türkiye.
In mainland Portugal, last month was classified as hot in relation to air temperature and rainy in relation to precipitation.
Also according to the IPMA, the average value of the average air temperature was 17.52°C, presenting an anomaly of 0.98°C above the normal value for the period 1981-2010.
During the month, air temperature values were generally above the monthly average value. Precipitation values were also higher than the average value.
Source: Observadora
