The sky is expected to become cloudy, particularly in northern Portugal and Galicia, with rain and thunderstorms that may be locally intense towards the end of the day as Gabrielle approaches the Iberian Peninsula.
The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere forecasts increased cloudiness from the afternoon with periods of rain, sometimes heavy on the northern and central coasts, as well as intensified winds on the western coast and highlands, along with a drop in maximum temperatures.
The sky will be slightly cloudy, becoming generally very cloudy on the northern and central coasts until early morning, gradually becoming very cloudy from the coast to the interior starting in the afternoon, predicts the IPMA, which foresees the possibility of thunderstorms in these areas by the end of the day.
The wind, initially light to moderate (up to 30 km/h) from the south quadrant, will become moderate to strong (30 to 45 km/h) in the highlands and on the western coast from the afternoon, with gusts reaching up to 80 km/h, especially by the end of the day.
Concerning the sea state on the western coast, northwest waves of 1 meter are expected to gradually evolve into west/southwest waves of 1.5 to 2.5 meters, increasing to 4 to 5 meters from the late afternoon.
The National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC) issued a warning to the population on Friday regarding strong winds, maritime agitation, and rain this weekend in mainland Portugal due to the meteorological instability caused by cyclone Gabrielle, which has since been downgraded to a post-tropical storm.
Gabrielle, which had already impacted the Azores archipelago with cyclone intensity, is expected to bring strong winds, which, combined with dry and hot lands, could lead to rural fires, noted the ANEPC.
In light of these forecasts, the ANEPC urged the population to “strictly comply with rural fire prevention rules” due to the Very High and Maximum risk in the northern, central, and Algarve regions, reminding that, according to the current legal provisions, extensive burnings and pile burnings are prohibited.
