This Tuesday brings a drop in temperature, but high heat persists, with eight mainland districts under orange alert due to hot weather, as reported by the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA). Over 80 municipalities are at maximum fire risk.
The districts of Bragança, Évora, Guarda, Vila Real, Santarém, Beja, Castelo Branco, and Portalegre will remain under orange alert until 9:00 PM today, shifting to yellow until 6:00 PM on Thursday.
IPMA has also issued a yellow warning for the districts of Setúbal, Lisbon, Leiria, Aveiro, and Coimbra until 9:00 PM today, Porto, Faro, and Viana do Castelo until 6:00 PM on Wednesday, and Viseu and Braga until 6:00 PM on Thursday, due to the heat.
The orange alert, the second highest on a three-tier scale, is issued when there is a “moderate to high-risk meteorological situation,” while the yellow is the least serious, indicating a risk for specific activities dependent on weather conditions.
Today’s forecast for the mainland predicts clear or slightly cloudy skies with possible showers and scattered thunderstorms in the interior, especially in the North and Center regions in the afternoon.
The forecast also includes light to moderate winds predominantly from the west, morning fog or mist in some parts of the central coast, and a slight temperature drop, notably the maximum on the central coast.
The minimum temperatures will range between 16 degrees Celsius (in Leiria) and 27 (in Portalegre) and maximums between 24 (in Aveiro) and 43 (in Beja).
Over 80 Municipalities in 10 Districts at Maximum Risk
Today, more than 80 municipalities in the districts of Vila Real, Braga, Bragança, Porto, Viseu, Guarda, Castelo Branco, Santarém, Portalegre, and Faro are at maximum fire risk.
IPMA has placed almost every municipality in the 18 mainland districts under very high and high-risk alerts.
According to the institute’s calculations, the rural fire risk will remain elevated in certain districts at least until the weekend.
This risk, determined by IPMA, consists of five levels, ranging from reduced to maximum. These calculations are based on air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and precipitation over the last 24 hours.
Recommendations to Follow
The Directorate-General of Health (DGS) has warned that extreme heat poses health risks, advising the consumption of water, avoidance of alcoholic beverages, and seeking of cool or air-conditioned environments.
Additionally, wearing light and fresh clothing and using sunscreen every two hours is recommended.
Exposure to the sun between 11:00 AM and 5:00 PM is discouraged, and special care should be taken with the elderly, children, and chronic patients, who should stay in cooler environments and protected from the sun, according to health authorities.
