24/12/2013 00:00
TW
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THIS year has already been one of the hottest in the history of the Balearics, and could top the list if, in the few days remaining, the temperatures remain at the same level. These temperatures are mirroring 2003, when global warming made itself most felt on the islands.
This was how the director of the Balearic Meteorological Centre, Agustin Jansa, explained it. He said that, up until now, only three months of the year had been at their normal temperatures or slightly below: January, February and August. With just a few days to go before the year ends and, more precisely, to have confirmation of the average temperatures in December, Jansa had analysed the temperatures experienced during the first 11 months of the year and found that the average temperature was 18.1 degrees, the same as during the same period of 2003, which had an average temperature overall (including December) of 17.5 degrees, a figure which 2006 is expected to equal or exceed. In Jansa's opinion, January and February of this year were ”slightly cold”, while the rest of the year to November was ”hotter than normal”, with the exception of August, during which there was a fall in the average temperature. On the other hand, April was a ”very hot” month, having temperatures more than two degrees above its normal average, followed by May, June and July. In addition to this, there were big increases in September temperatures, but especially in October and November, when around three degrees above the normal average temperatures were recorded. Because of this, Jansa said he considered that 2006 was a ”much hotter year than normal”, although it would not be known whether it comes out ahead of 2003 until the figures for December are known. In comparison with 2005, which had an average temperature of 18.1 degrees during its first 11 months, this year showed an increase of 1.6 degrees, although it must be remembered that last year was considered by the Meteorological Centre to be a ”break” in the dynamic of global warming, and 2006 will assume the re-initiation of the process.