Five districts in the north and centre of Portugal will be under an orange weather warning from Friday as temperatures could reach 40°C in the country’s interior.

Five districts in the north and centre of Portugal will be under an orange weather warning from Friday due to persistently high temperatures, while fifteen are under a yellow warning.

According to the Portuguese Sea and Atmosphere Institute (IPMA), Bragança, Viseu, Guarda, Vila Real, and Castelo Branco will be under an orange warning between 09h00 on Friday and 05h00 on Saturday.

Until then, these districts will also have a yellow warning due to the high temperatures.

Another ten districts will remain under a yellow warning until 05h00 on Saturday: Évora, Porto, Setúbal, Santarém, Viana do Castelo, Beja, Aveiro, Coimbra, Portalegre and Braga.

The IPMA issues an orange warning whenever there is a moderate to high meteorological risk situation and a yellow warning when there is a risk for certain activities dependent on the meteorological situation.

Today, the IPMA predicts slightly cloudy or clear skies, more intense wind on the coast in the afternoon and a slight rise in temperature in the regions north of the River Mondego.

Temperatures will vary today between 24ºC in Sagres and 37ºC in Évora and Beja.

Temperatures are expected to rise over the next few days and could reach 40°C by Friday in the interior of mainland Portugal.