The average rainfall in Portugal last month was 272 mm, which is four times the monthly average, only slightly less than the exceptional rainfall seen in March 2001.
The very high rainfall was felt all over the country and it was also the coldest March since 2000, with the average air temperature 2.6°C lower than average, the IPMA added.
Thirty-two of the 60 monitored reservoirs in mainland Portugal had reserves of over 80 percent of total volume in March, while in February only five had reached 80 percent capacity, according to figures issued on Monday by the National Water Resources Information System (SNIRH).
At the end of March, only three reservoirs were filled with water to less than 40 percent of potential capacity, compared to 23 in February.
According to the SNIRH data, all hydrographic basins in mainland Portugal recorded an increase in the volume of stored water by the end of March, compared to the previous month.
Each river basin may correspond to more than one reservoir.
Water stores in March by river basin were higher than the averages of the reference period (March 1990/91 to 2016/17), except for the Mondego, Ribeiras do Oeste, Sado, Guadiana, Mira and Ribeiras basins.
The Ave river basin was the one with the highest water availability (92.3 percent), followed by the Tagus River (91.1 percent).
The Ribeiras do Oeste basin had the lowest level (49.9 percent), followed by the Sado River (59.9 percent).