After weeks of intense summer heat, mainland Portugal is set for a cooler turn this Sunday, with maximum temperatures expected to fall by 2º to 7ºC and the possibility of rainfall, according to the Portuguese Sea and Atmosphere Institute (IPMA).
Speaking to Lusa, IPMA meteorologist Maria João Frada said the shift will bring slightly milder conditions across most of the country, along with a chance of scattered rainfall in the central and southern regions. However, these showers are not expected to significantly affect areas currently affected by wildfires.
“What will help will be the drop in maximum temperatures and the rise in humidity overnight from Saturday to Sunday,” Frada explained.
For this Friday and Saturday, IPMA forecasts mostly clear or slightly cloudy skies with temperatures rising slightly, especially in the north and centre. The hottest spots will continue to be the Tagus Valley, the Alentejo interior and parts of central Portugal.
On Sunday, more cloud cover is expected, with morning mist and a temporary increase in clouds in the afternoon. Conditions will favour brief, scattered showers and possibly thunderstorms, but only in some central and southern areas.
Inland regions may still see highs between 30ºC and 33ºC, but elsewhere temperatures will be lower. Winds will be lighter and from the west, bringing increased humidity – a factor seen as helpful in slowing wildfire spread.
From Monday, a weak depression in the upper atmosphere may lead to more rain, though widespread rain is unlikely. Temperatures are expected to rise again slightly on Monday and Tuesday before possibly dipping again by midweek.
While the cooler spell won’t be dramatic, it does mark a change from the intense heat of early August.
