- It was the 8th warmest winter of the last 62 years and the 6th driest winter of the 21st century
- The average rainfall between December 2022 and February 2023 represents only 46% of the average value for that period
March 17, 2023. Spring will begin at 22 hours and 24 minutes next Monday, March 20 after a winter considered very warm and very dry in the Region of Murcia, with average values of 10.2ºC and 37.4 l/m2, which places it as the eighth warmest winter of the last 62 years and the sixth driest in the 21st century.
Maximum temperatures contributed most to this very warm thermometric character, with an average of 15.6°C and an anomaly of +1.0°C, which represents the eighth highest value in the 62-year series. The mean minimum temperatures were 4.8°C, with an anomaly of +0.6°C.
The month of December, with an average temperature of 12.8°C and an anomaly of +3.2°C, was extremely warm, the warmest of at least the last 62 years, surpassing the previous period recorded in 2015 with 11.5°C.
January, with an average temperature of 9.3°C and an anomaly of +0.5°C, had a warm thermometric character. February, with an average temperature of 8.7°C and an anomaly of 1.1°C, was cold.
The highest average temperature was observed on December 13 and the lowest on January 28.
In the evolution of the maximum temperatures, the following warm episodes stood out:
For its persistence and intensity:
From 4th December to 17th January
From 3rd to 5th February
From 19th to 23rd February.
And the cold episodes:
From 22 to 30 January
From 6 to 15 February
From 24th to 28th February
In the evolution of minimum temperatures, the following stood out:
- The episode of high lows from December 4th to practically December 27th. The average of the day 13 minimums was above the normal value of the maximums for that day. This day, the ephemeris of the highest minimums were overcome in numerous stations, among them those of the observatories of Murcia (1984-2023) and Alcantarilla (1940-2023).
- The abnormally low minimums from January 22 to February 6 and from February 24 to 28.
The maximum absolute temperature of the quarter, 27.0°C, was recorded on January 9 in Águilas. The lowest maximum temperature, 1.0°C, was observed in Campo de San Juan, Moratalla, on January 18 and 26.
The absolute minimum temperature of the quarter, -8.0°C, was recorded on January 28 and 29 in Campo de San Juan, Moratalla. The highest minimum temperature, 20.1°C, was recorded on December 13 at the Alhama “Comarza” station.
Temperature ephemerides.
In the month of December, in most of the stations of the Region, the ephemeris of average monthly temperature, of average maxims and of average minimums were exceeded. As an example, in the observatory of Murcia (with data since 1984), the average monthly temperature of December, 15.2°C, exceeded by 1.4°C to the previous ephemeris, 13.8°C, recorded in December 2015; the average of the maxims, 20.9°C, exceeded by 1.0°C to the previous ephemeris recorded in December 2018; and the average of the minimums, 9.5°C, exceeded by 0.7°C to the previous ephemeris recorded in 2016.
At the Alcantarilla observatory (with data since 1942), the average temperature of December, 14.2°C, exceeded the previous ephemeris of 13.3°C, recorded in 1955; and the average of the minimums, 8.3°C, surpassed 0.1°C to the previous ephemeris recorded in 1977, the average of the maximums was the second highest after 20.1°C in 1981.
Precipitation
The average rainfall over the Region of Murcia between December 2022 and February 2023 was 37.4 liters per square meter (l/m2), which represents only 46% of the average value for that period, and a very dry character. This winter occupies the thirteenth position of the driest winters of the last 62 years, and the sixth driest in the 21st century.
Evolution of rainfall accumulated in winter (in l/m2) between 1961-62 and 2022-23.
The months of December and February, with an average rainfall in the Region of 17.0 and 17.4 l/m2 respectively, were normal, and January, with 3.1 l/m2, was very dry, the tenth driest since 1961, and the third driest in the 21st century.
During this winter, rainfall of more than 100 l/m2 accumulated in the easternmost part of the Region, registering up to 146 l/m2 in the Calblanque Natural Park station, Cartagena. Where less was recorded, below 20 l/m2, was in areas of the regions of Vega Media and Alta del Segura, and Eastern region, such as Archena, with 17.2 l/m2.
They highlighted the episodes of December 1, 2 and 5, 6 by the amounts accumulated on the east coast of the Region. On days 1 and 2 46 l/m2 were recorded in the P.N. de Calblanque, Cartagena and 40.6 l/m2 in Cabo de Palos. In the episode of December 5 and 6, 52.4 l/m2 and 22.8 l/m2 respectively were accumulated in the aforementioned stations.
The maximum daily rainfall in the quarter, 47.4 l/m2, was recorded on December 5 in the P. N. de Calblanque. The maximum accumulated in one hour was 15.0 l/m2 on December 6 in Cabo de Palos, and the maximum in ten minutes was 8.4 l/m2 in Puerto Lumbreras, on December 14
On February 21, rainfall in the form of hail was recorded in several areas of the Region, reaching a severe size (diameter greater than 1.9 cm), in points of the Northwest region.
On February 25, a marine trophy was observed off the coast of the southeast of the Region.
Advance March 2023
Continuing with the last cold episode of February, March began with maximum and minimum temperatures below normal values. From day 6, the temperatures rose above the normal, staying so until the middle of the month.
In the first days of the month, ephemeris of the lowest minimum for a month of March were overcome in several stations of the Region. In Jumilla, with data since 2008, the minimum of day 1, -3.9°C, and that of day 4, -4.1°C, exceeded the previous ephemeris, -3.2°C, of March 11, 2010. In Yecla, with data since 2009, the minimums of days 1, -3.8°C, and 4,-3.9°C, exceeded the previous ephemeris, -3.6°C also registered on March 11, 2020.
Precipitation
Between 1 and 15 March there was an average rainfall in the Region of 2.6 litres per square metre (l/m2). With this accumulated, and if it did not rain more, the month would have a very dry character.
Two significant precipitation events were observed, on day 1, and on day 5.
Two days of storm were recorded, on day 1 and 9, with a total of 29 discharges.
No mud rain day has been recorded in the first half of March.
Hydrological year (from 1 October 2022 to 15 March 2023).
The precipitations collected between October 1, 2022 and March 15, 2023, 82.1 l/m2, represent 51% of the average value for the same period, which means a very dry character, the fourth driest since 1961-62, after the years 1980-81, with 49.8 l/m2, 1993-94 with 81.4 l/m2 and 2012-13 with 65.2 l/m2.