The third month of the year recorded unusually high temperatures, with an anomaly of 1.5ºC above the norm.

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Water reserves in the Balearic Islands

March ended with the Balearic Islands’ water reserves experiencing a slight increase, standing at 56%, a positive change compared to the previous month but below the 62% recorded last year.

The third month of the year has witnessed a mixed performance among the different Demand Units (DU), with Menorca, Artà, and Eivissa suffering decreases in their reserves, while Migjorn, Palma-Alcúdia, Tramuntana Nord, Tramuntana Sud, and Formentera report increases. Manacor-Felanitx and es Pla, on the other hand, have remained unchanged.

Analysis by island reveals a mixed evolution in water reserves in March. Mallorca recorded an increase in its reserves, rising from 54% to 57%. Menorca’s reserves remained stable at 54%. On the other hand, Eivissa experienced a slight decrease from 40% to 39%, reflecting the specific challenges in water availability on the island. With 84% of the territory in a pre-alert situation and only Tramuntana Nord and Tramuntana Sud in a normal situation, the general situation of the demarcation, with an index of 0.513, is below last year’s figures (0.575).

According to reports from the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), March has been classified as a wet month in the Balearic Islands, with a volume of rainfall that exceeds historical averages. An average of 48.3 litres per square metre (l/m²) of rainfall was recorded in the archipelago, in contrast to the usual 33.1 l/m² for this month. This trend was reflected unevenly across the different islands:

- Mallorca: Experienced a notable increase in rainfall, reaching 57.5 l/m² compared to a historical average of 35.0 l/m².
- Eivissa: Also recorded a wetter than usual March, with 24.9 l/m² compared to its historical average of 23.6 l/m².
- Formentera: Followed this trend with 21.2 l/m² of rainfall, exceeding the typical 16.8 l/m².
- Menorca: It stood out from the rest, categorised as dry this month, with only 21.1 l/m² of rainfall, below the expected 33.3 l/m².

In addition, the percentage of interannual precipitation in the Balearic Islands reached 78%, with Mallorca at 81%, Menorca at 78% and the Pitiusas (Eivissa and Formentera) at 55%. March was not only characterised by humidity but also by heat, with an average temperature of 13.9ºC. This figure represents an anomaly of 1.5ºC. This figure represents an anomaly of 1.5ºC above what was expected for the month, making it an unusually warm period.