In a bulletin, IPMA indicates that the drought that began last November "continues and worsened to the date of 25 January": 54 percent of the territory is in moderate drought, 34 percent in severe drought and 11 percent in extreme drought.

In the short term, IPMA does not expect any significant rainfall until 3 February, so "a worsening of the meteorological drought situation will be very likely at the end of February, throughout the continent".

To "significantly reduce" or end the drought, it would take more than 200 to 250 millimetres of rain in the north and centre of the country, and more than 150 millimetres in the south, something that "only occurs in 20 percent of years".

Currently, the drought is "slightly inferior" to what it was at the end of January 2005, the year with the worst drought in the last two decades.

Every month since last October has been "very dry" and only 45 percent of the average rainfall for the same period between 1971 and 2000 has occurred.

Between 1 and 25 January it rained a quarter of that average and the month is on course to become one of the "three driest Januarys in recent years".