The country is set to be hit by a heatwave starting this Friday, with temperatures expected to soar across the continent, reaching or even surpassing 40°C in some districts. While many associate July with the beginning of holidays, this situation raises questions about how long the extreme heat will last.
Forecasts from the Portuguese Institute of Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) indicate that the week from June 30 to July 6 “will be dry and very hot.”
A “depression trough located between North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula” is responsible for the intense heat over the weekend and the start of the next week. This will result in very high temperatures, both maximum and minimum, coupled with low relative humidity levels.
The weather conditions are expected to change slightly mid-week. During that period, “the flow will tend to shift to the west, leading to a general slight decrease in temperatures, though only marginal in the interior regions.”
The sky will generally be clear or slightly cloudy until mid-week, with the exception of some morning cloudiness along the western coastal strip. Following the wind shift to the west quadrant, there will be increased cloudiness, and light rain may occur along the northern and central coast by the weekend.
If you chose the first week of July for a vacation, be aware that the predicted temperatures “are well above average for this time of year, particularly in the interior regions, where a heatwave is very likely in several areas.”
The IPMA highlights that the last day of June, a Monday, is expected to see maximum temperatures above 40°C across “the entire interior of the country.” Starting Wednesday, July 2, such high temperatures are anticipated only in the Guadiana Valley.
The following weekend, July 5 and 6, “maximum temperatures across the country should not exceed 37°C,” the institute noted in a statement shared on social media.
The IPMA also predicts tropical nights in Sotavento Algarvio and Beira Baixa until Thursday, July 4, with the night of June 30 expected to see widespread minimum temperatures above 20°C throughout the country, except along the coastal strip.
“Thus, maximum temperatures should range between 29°C and 43°C in the northern and central interior regions, between 32°C and 44°C in the southern region, and between 22°C and 37°C in coastal areas. Minimum temperatures on the mainland should range from 14°C to 26°C,” the same statement concluded.
Also, check the forecasts for this weekend:
Four counties in the Central and Algarve regions are on maximum fire risk alert this Friday. According to IPMA’s calculations, fire danger is expected to rise in the coming days, alongside increasing temperatures.
Lusa | 07:15 – 27/06/2025
