REPORTS released a few days ago saying Spain's winter will be 'the coldest in 100 years' have been countered already – according to the State meteorological agency, AEMET, temperatures will actually be much higher than average instead of lower.
Residents in Spain are now confused as to whether to dust off their woolly jumpers and thermals, or whether a T-shirt and jacket will do – but are generally hoping for the latter.
Winter 2016-2017 will, later reports have claimed, be the seventh-warmest since 1965 – and, just to confirm global temperatures are indeed rising, the fifth-warmest so far this century.
January, February and March are expected to be above-averagely warm after an uncharacteristically-mild autumn, says AEMET.
The average round-the-clock temperature from mid-September until now has been 16.8ºC – a total of 0.9ºC higher than the mean figure for the time of year – and, as this covers all regions from the sun-drenched Canaries to the mild Mediterranean and south coast through to the chilly north and centre, which vary considerably, this explains why some coastal areas have seen numbers in the high 20s even in November.
September and October were extremely warm, although November settled to more normal autumn temperatures, the Met office says.
In fact, some of the hottest days of the year have been in September over the last few years, with the mercury soaring in the first and second week even higher than it had in July and August.
The record was held by Córdoba, which hit 45.4ºC in the shade on September 6, just above Sevilla and Murcia the previous day at 44.8ºC and 44.6ºC – and even north-western Galicia, where blankets reappear on beds in late August, saw temperatures of over 40ºC in September.
Barely five or 10 years ago, September was a clear cut-off point for the summer and spelt the end of beach season, but more recently, thermometer readings have skewed the figures and given the impression of an uncharacteristically warm autumn.
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