It's official. August has been hotter and drier than usual on the south-east coast of Spain. The State Meterological Agency released figures this week stating that August was unusually hot and dry throughout the regions of Alicante and Valencia,

Despite the recent downpours we have all felt the heat this summer but it is now official; August in our region has been hotter than average.

According to a report by the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), Alicante recorded an average daily temperature of 26.9 degrees, 1.4 degrees higher than usual. August has also been warmer than usual in Valencia, with temperatures 1.1 degrees above normal, averaging 24.8 degrees, the third warmest since 2003. Temperatures exceeded 40 degrees in Ontinyent and Carr.

AEMET also reports a very dry month. The average rainfall was 5.3 litres per square meter, 78% below what is considered normal in August (average 1971-2000). In large parts of the interior of the province of Valencia and Alicante some of the amount of rainfall this month has been nil or negligible (less than 0.1 litres per square meter). 

Alicante recorded 0.1 litres per square meter, 99% less than usual and in Valencia, 4 litres per square meter, 79% less than usual.

August 2011 has ranked sixth among the driest in the series for the last 41 years, and has been the driest since 2006.