Temperatures rising: 25 municipalities already at maximum risk for wildfires

Temperatures are steadily rising this week, with 25 municipalities in the Algarve (Faro district) and districts of Portalegre, Santarém, Castelo Branco, and Bragança at maximum risk for wildfires, according to Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere, IPMA.

According to IPMA’s website, several municipalities in the districts of Faro, Beja, Santarém, Leiria, Coimbra, Portalegre, Castelo Branco, Viseu, Guarda, Vila Real, and Bragança are also at very high risk of wildfires.

The risk will remain high at least until the end of the week, when temperatures have been forecast, for some areas, at potentially nudging the 40ºC mark.

Risk calculations are based on air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and precipitation over the previous 24 hours (of which, these days, there is very little).

The institute forecasts partly cloudy or clear skies on the mainland today, becoming cloudier in some areas of the west coast until mid-morning and from late afternoon onwards, with occasionally strong winds along the western coast and in the higher areas of the Central and Southern regions.

The forecast also indicates a slight drop in temperature inland and an increase in maximum temperatures along the Algarve’s leeward coast.

Minimum temperatures will range between 9ºC (in Vila Real) and 18ºC (in Faro), and maximum temperatures between 21ºC (in Aveiro, Porto and Viana do Castelo) and 33ºC (in Faro).

The week however is due to see temperatures increasing, until a form of ‘crescendo’ between Thursday and Saturday, after which they will drop back again.

Strong winds also are still in evidence, and are expected to reach speeds of up to 80 km/ hour in areas of Lisbon/ Leiria tomorrow.

Source: LUSA/ SIC Notícias

Natasha Donn

Journalist for the Portugal Resident.