Despite the high temperatures prevailing across the country, some areas in the North, specifically in the districts of Vila Real and Bragança, have experienced thunderstorms.
The Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) had forecasted the possibility of thunderstorms in Portugal, which has now been confirmed in some locations, as the images below illustrate.
On the Facebook page Meteo Trás-os-Montes Portugal, photographs and videos are being shared this Thursday evening.
What does the IPMA forecast for the coming days?
The latest data updated on the IPMA website indicates that for Friday, the possibility of thunderstorms remains for these two districts, with maximum temperatures expected to reach 35°C. The thunderstorm forecast will also extend to three more regions: Braga (36°C), Viseu (34°C), and Coimbra (36°C), where rain is also expected.
In addition, regions where thermometers are expected to reach higher temperatures include Castelo Branco and Santarém, with 38°C.
In the capital, maximum temperatures are expected to reach 32°C, with Porto at 30°C and Faro in the Algarve at 27°C.
The latest assessment by IPMA also reports that on Friday, seven districts are under a yellow alert due to heat (Braga, Vila Real, Guarda, Castelo Branco, Portalegre, Évora, and Beja). On Saturday, for now, four regions will be under this alert: the entire Alentejo and Castelo Branco.
The heatwave and fatalities
The heatwave that impacted Portugal over the weekend reached an unprecedented extent in Southern Europe, with temperatures in Portugal recorded at 46.6°C in Mora, Évora district.
According to IPMA, this temperature was close to, but did not surpass, the absolute maximum in the country on August 1, 2003, which was 47.3°C in Amareleja, Beja. However, it represents a historical maximum and sets a new absolute extreme for June in mainland Portugal.
In this context, the Directorate-General of Health (DGS) reported 69 excess deaths during the heat alert.
“During the hot weather alert that began on June 28, 2025, an excess mortality was detected, with 69 excess deaths observed in mainland Portugal,” the DGS noted.
On Sunday, June 29, approximately 82% of meteorological stations recorded maximum air temperatures exceeding 35°C, and around 37% of them registered maximum air temperatures above 40°C.
This Thursday, IPMA further reported that in June, mainland Portugal experienced two heatwaves in June, with 34% of meteorological stations surpassing or matching previous extremes for maximum air temperatures for the month.
Mainland Portugal experienced two heatwaves in June, with 34% of meteorological stations exceeding or equaling previous maximum air temperature extremes for the month, as disclosed by IPMA today.
Lusa | 18:04 – 03/07/2025
The first heatwave was recorded, according to IPMA’s climate bulletin summary, between June 15 and 20, in 12 out of 90 stations.
The second heatwave began on June 27, extending into the first days of July. On Wednesday, about 59% of the stations were in a heatwave.
