Breathe deep: this week will be another hot one!

Five districts in the interior of the country are under a yellow warning from today due to the forecast of hot, dry weather, which is set to extend across the entire mainland until Wednesday.

According to IPMA, the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere, the districts of Guarda, Castelo Branco, Portalegre, Évora and Beja are under a yellow warning, with maximum temperatures on Monday ranging between 31°C and 37°C.

From Tuesday, this warning will be extended to the districts of Bragança and Vila Real, and the following day to the whole of mainland Portugal.

“A prolonged period of hot, dry weather is forecast, with maximum temperatures reaching between 40°C and 43°C in the Tejo Valley and the Alentejo on July 2, and this could extend to some areas in the other regions by the end of the week,” said IPMA.

As for minimum temperatures, these will also rise over the coming days to figures above 20°C, with much of the country experiencing “tropical nights”.

Given the forecast, IPMA states in its weather bulletin that “it is very likely that the severity of the warnings will be upgraded in several districts in updates over the coming days”.

This rise in temperature is due to a high-pressure system “located to the north/north-west of the Azores archipelago, extending in a ridge as far as the Bay of Biscay” and which “will move eastwards” from Monday.

Weather apps on mobile phones put the hot spell lasting until well into next week.

Meantime, the ‘high risk’ Delta phase for wildfire risks comes into play this week, as well. It will be a time of warnings into the immediate future on several levels.

Source: LUSA

Natasha Donn

Journalist for the Portugal Resident.