IPMA warns of "considerably severe" hot weather

In a statement released today, the IPMA states that the episode of hot weather is expected to continue "until August 6, with a high degree of confidence", although with a slight temporary drop in maximum temperatures on Friday on the west coast and, possibly, on Tuesday, August 5.

Thus, the IPMA states, "maximum temperature values will be above average, or well above average, for the time of year", meaning that "it is very likely" that in a large part of mainland Portugal, particularly inland, "a heat wave will actually be recorded".

"This episode of hot weather is expected to be considerably severe, both due to its duration and the maximum temperatures, which will be very high," warns the IPMA, indicating that from Sunday onwards, maximum temperatures are expected to vary between 36 and 40 degrees Celsius, with the exception of some areas along the coast, where they will be lower.

In the interior of Alentejo, the Tagus Valley and the most inland part of the Douro Valley, maximum temperatures are expected to reach values between 41 and 44 degrees Celsius.

Furthermore, IPMA adds, "tropical nights are expected across the entire territory," with minimum temperatures ranging from approximately 20 to 25 degrees Celsius from Monday, August 4th.

Due to forecasts, the IPMA has already placed all districts of mainland Portugal, with the exception of Faro, under an orange warning between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm on Sunday, August 3, due to the "persistence of very high maximum temperatures."

Until Sunday morning, the 17 districts – Bragança, Viseu, Évora, Porto, Guarda, Vila Real, Setúbal, Santarém, Viana do Castelo, Lisbon, Leiria, Beja, Castelo Branco, Aveiro, Coimbra, Portalegre and Braga – will be under yellow warning, also due to the high maximum temperature values.

The district of Faro will be under a yellow warning between 9:00 am on Saturday and 6:00 pm on Sunday, also due to persistently high maximum temperatures.

The orange warning, the second most serious on a scale of three, is issued by the IPMA whenever there is a "meteorological situation of moderate to high risk and yellow, the least serious, when there is a risk situation for certain activities dependent on the meteorological situation".

According to the IPMA, this episode of hot weather is associated with "the joint action of an anticyclone located northeast of the Azores archipelago, cresting towards the Bay of Biscay, and a depression trough that extends from North Africa to the Iberian Peninsula, which in its circulation transports masses of very hot and dry tropical air, originating in North Africa."