The hottest weeks of the year seem to have their days numbered in Dénia. Of course, a slight drop in temperatures will be welcomed with open arms after such a suffocating end of summer. We have lived an August like we do not remember. But isn't our memory playing tricks on us?
Thanks to the records of the AVAMET station located in Dénia, we have verified and compared the data for the months of August since 2009. And yes, although records of maximum peaks have not been broken and despite the fact that moments have been cooler than other years, the truth is that 2022 has been the hottest August in Dénia in recent years.
A record August, but only just
However, the difference with other years is not as loose as it may seem. In reference to the averages that have occurred throughout the 31 days of the month, we can see that, indeed, August has been regularly hottest, with an average of 28,5º per day. The difference, however, compared to other years such as, for example, 2020 (28,2º) is only a few tenths. This is not usual, so it could be said that 2020 also had a hotter August than usual.
Much has been said about how little the temperatures have dropped during this second half of summer, but here it can be seen with the naked eye that it has not been so exceptional. In 2022 the minimum temperature experienced on average was 24,4º. In fact, over the last decade there have been several Augusts with higher minimum averages than this one. That is, years in which the temperature used to be higher even at night.
As for the maximums, the average has indeed been a record, being 32,6º. It is, therefore, the month of August with the highest maximums, but again by a few tenths compared to other very hot summers such as 2020 (32,4º).
Other factors that have been
The problem this August has been, without a doubt, the combination of many factors. On the one hand, the lack of rain, being one of the driest summers in recent years. In fact, the year that we took as an example for similar temperatures, 2020, was not so bad in terms of heat because it enjoyed a lot of rainfall. On the other hand, the high temperature of the sea that has prevented the presence of the gentle breezes that provided necessary respite, especially at night. And, of course, even for a few tenths, it is still August with the highest temperatures on average.
