Record high temperatures for month of October seen across Catalonia

Sunday saw record high temperatures for the month of October in 49 out of the 115 meteorological stations in Catalonia, according to the Catalan meteorological service.

The northernwestern town of Sant Romà d'Abella registered an all-time high of 34.9ºC, followed by the towns of Castellnou de Seana, east of Lleida, and Albesa, north of Lleida, where temperatures reached 34.5ºC. 

Three municipalities broke their previous records for the month of October this Sunday. The previous all-time high was registered on October 4, 2004, when mercury reached over 32ºC. 

Catalonia has also seen one of its hottest Septembers of the past decade, especially in the northern areas of the Pyrenees, where temperatures were 2.5% above average, according to the Catalan meteorological service.

High-temperature peaks were registered from September 3 to 5, due to a mass of hot air that arrived from Africa and caused flooding in southern Catalonia. 

Catalonia is facing an ongoing drought and September was no exception, as it was a generally dry month.

Most of the month's rain was registered in the south of Catalonia, where heavy storms surpassed the climate average and caused travel disruption.

Between September 15 and 16, rain poured throughout Catalonia, especially along the coast.

"It was not an exceptional episode of rain, but it had been a year and a half since it had rained evenly all throughout the territory," the Catalan meteorological service points out.

Catalonia's 115 meteorological stations have been registering data for over 20 years.