August was the second coolest for the last 15 years

Newsdesk THE average temperature recorded in the Balearics in August was 25.3 degrees, one degree below the average for the last 15 years (26.3 degrees), and only exceeded as the coolest month by the temperatures reached in 2002. This is according to the spokesperson for the Balearic Meteorological Centre, Jose Antonio Guijarro. The “more agreeable” temperatures during August were due to the fact that, while “in July southerly winds predominated”, the situation changed on August 3 when “an anticyclone came from the Azores causing a prevalence of northern wind and cold air arriving in the region which stayed with us nearly all month”, explained Guijarro. In the Balearics, the temperatures were one degree below the average for the last 15 years (between 1991 and 2005). In the Porto Pi Obervatory in Palma the average temperature for August was measured at 25.3 degrees (1 degree less than the average). On Minorca it was 24.8 (1.5 degrees less than average); and on Ibiza the average reached 25.6 degrees (0.7 less). In 2002 the “coolest” August of the last 15 years was recorded, when an average temperature of 24.9 degrees was recorded at Porto Pi, 24.2 degrees on Minorca and 25.1 degrees on Ibiza. On the other hand, the hottest August was in 2003 when the average was around 29.4 degrees. During the month of August no records were set with regard to the temperatures on the islands, although the Balearic Meteorological Centre did record a “record” in Minorca for the least number of hours of sun due to the presence of banks of clouds all month. On Minorca during August they had a maximum of 228 hours of sun, a record “lack of sun” as, up to now, the record for the least sun was held by August 1995 with just 266 hours. As for rainfall, according to Guijarro, August was a dry month. Minorca airport recorded just 1.7 litres per square metre (20.8 litres less than normal), making an interannual drop of 20 percent on Minorca. On Majorca, the situation was considered “normal” as in Porto Pi 29.3 litres per square metre was collected (9.4 more) which is a surplus of 3 percent. Sa Pobla stands out here with a total of 63.3 litres per square metre in August, which is 43.7 litres more, way above the average for Majorca this August. On Ibiza 8.5 litres per square metre fell (17 litres per square metre less).