DREM updates Time Series of Meteorological Information with 2022 data
The Regional Directorate of Statistics of Madeira (DREM) updates today on its website the "Time Series of Meteorological Information" with the data for 2022, provided by the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) to Statistics Portugal (INE) through its Regional Delegation. The Dashboard that summarizes the main meteorological information for 2022 is also updated, allowing the selection of different indicators according to the weather stations in the Autonomous Region of Madeira (ARM).
Air Temperature - 2022 was warmer than 2021 in most stations
In most weather stations in the ARM, the average annual temperature increased compared to 2021. In 5 stations, the value remained unchanged from the previous year, while it increased in 10 stations and decreased only in Monte/Jardins do Imperador station.
Over the past 47 years, at the Funchal/Observatory station, the average annual temperatures have ranged between 18.1 °C in the years 1976 and 1984, and 20.8 °C in 2020, the hottest year on record at this station. The last 4 years, along with 2004, were the hottest ever recorded at this station. Compared with 2021, the average annual temperature at this station remained unchanged in 2022 (20.6 ºC).
Comparing with the climatological normal 1961-1990 (average value for the reference period of air temperature), all stations for which this information is available (7 stations in 2022) showed higher values in 2022. The Funchal/Observatory station had the highest deviation from the normal (+1.9 °C), followed by Santo da Serra (+1.9 °C), Chão do Areeiro (+1.6 °C), Lugar de Baixo and Santana (both with +1.5 °C), Santa Catarina/Aeroporto (+1.4 °C), and Porto Santo/Aeroporto (+1.2 °C).
The highest average annual temperature was recorded at the Lugar de Baixo station (20.9 °C), and the lowest was at the Chão do Areeiro station (10.7 °C). As for the maximum and minimum air temperatures in the past year, the extremes were observed at the Monte station (35.1 °C in July) and the Pico do Areeiro station (-2.5 °C in April).
September was the hottest month of 2022 in 13 out of the 21 operational meteorological stations in the ARM (excluding the Selvagens station due to the absence of data in 2022), with monthly average temperatures ranging from 24.2 °C at the Lugar de Baixo station to 17.1 °C at the Achadas da Cruz station. In contrast, March was the coldest month in 18 stations, with average monthly temperatures ranging from 5.8 °C at the Chão do Areeiro station to 17.6 °C at the Funchal/Lido station.
Precipitation - 2022 was less rainy than 2021
In 2022, most stations with precipitation records for the past two years reported lower precipitation values compared to 2021. The Funchal/Observatory station showing the largest decrease in total precipitation: 861.8 mm in 2021 and 551.2 mm in 2022. Only 2 stations recorded an increase in annual precipitation: Chão do Areeiro with a record of 1,688.2 mm in 2021 and 2,232.4 mm in 2022, and Santana with 980.2 mm in 2021 and 1,031.7 mm in 2022.
Compared to the climatological normal 1961-1990, the values recorded in 2022 were generally much lower, with Santo da Serra and Chão do Areeiro stations showing negative deviations of 832.6 mm and 706.9 mm, respectively. Porto Santo/Aeroporto was the only station that had a positive deviation from the normal (78.1 mm).
In 2022, the highest annual precipitation values were recorded at the Chão do Areeiro (2,232.4 mm), Achadas da Cruz/Lombo da Terça (1,218.8 mm), Santo da Serra (1,130.3 mm), and Santana (1,031.7 mm) stations. The lowest values occurred at the Caniçal/Ponta de São Lourenço (255.5 mm) and Funchal/Lido (324.2 mm) stations.
December was the rainiest month in most stations, with the Chão do Areeiro station recording the highest precipitation value (587.8 mm) in that month, and the Caniçal/Ponta de São Lourenço station registering the lowest value (58.0 mm).
July was generally the month with the least precipitation, with values ranging from 0.0 mm at the Quinta Grande stations to 32.4 mm at the Achadas da Cruz/Lombo da Terça station.
Regarding the days with precipitation (days with rain, rainy days, very rainy days, and extremely rainy days), it can be concluded that the maximum number of rainy days (days with 1 mm of precipitation or more) was recorded at the Achadas da Cruz station (150 days), while the Chão do Areeiro station recorded the highest number of rainy days (days with 10 mm of precipitation or more) (55 days). This station also stood out in the number of very rainy days (33 days with 20 mm of precipitation or more) and extremely rainy days (23 days with 30 mm of precipitation or more).
In 2022, the Funchal/Lido station had the highest number of dry days with 318, down by 2 days compared to 2021. It is worth noting that at the Funchal/Observatory and Chão do Areeiro stations, in the last 12 years, the number of rainy days has always been lower than the 1961-1990 normal. The lowest number of dry days was recorded at the Achadas da Cruz station with 215 days.
Relative Humidity of the Air - 2022 showed no significant differences in relative humidity compared to the previous year
Among the stations that have annual average relative humidity data, Funchal/Observatório, Quinta Grande, Porto Moniz, and Monte/Quinta Jardins do Imperador had lower values than in 2021. Funchal/Lido, Caniçal, Achadas da Cruz/Lombo da Terça, and Ponta de São Jorge had slightly higher values compared to the previous year, while relative humidity remained the same as in 2021 in the remaining stations.
In the past year, average annual relative humidity values ranged from 65% at the Funchal/Observatory and Quinta Grande stations to 90% at the Achadas da Cruz/Lombo da Terça station.
When examining the monthly information, it is worth noting that the minimum average relative humidity value (35%) was recorded at the Pico do Areeiro station in July, while the maximum average value (97%) was registered at the Achadas da Cruz/Lombo da Terça station in March and November.
2022 with fewer tropical nights, more wind, and no significant change in sea surface temperature
Regarding the number of days with tropical nights, which are nights with a minimum temperature equal to or higher than 20 °C, in 2022, most stations recorded a lower number of tropical nights. The Funchal/Lido station stood out with 118 recorded nights, followed by the Porto Moniz and Santa Catarina/Aeroporto stations with 88 nights. Compared to 1961-1990 normal, all stations recorded more tropical nights, with the Funchal/Observatory station (+64 nights), Lugar de Baixo (+52 nights), Santa Catarina/Aeroporto (+47 nights), and Porto Santo (+26 nights) being the most notable.
In 2022, the highest average daily temperature range (difference between the maximum and minimum temperature recorded in a 24-hour period) occurred at the Quinta Grande station (7.9 °C). The smallest difference between the maximum and minimum daily temperatures was observed at the Caniçal/Ponta de São Lourenço station (4.2 °C).
In 2022, the annual average of the mean wind intensity increased in most stations with an anemometer (16 stations). The Achadas da Cruz/Lombo da Terça station had the highest annual average (25.4 km/h), while the Monte/Quinta Jardins do Imperador station had the lowest average (5.1 km/h). The strongest wind gust was recorded at the Caniçal/Ponta de São Lourenço station (161 km/h) in March.
In 2022, the annual average sea surface temperature measured at the Pontinha Pier (Funchal) was 20.8 °C, a value similar to that of 2021. The highest average temperature was in September (23.4 °C), while the lowest was in April (18.3 °C).
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