Temperatures of up to 39ºC expected in certain regions today
More than 30 municipalities in the districts of Faro (meaning the entire stretch of the Algarve), Portalegre, Santarém, Castelo Branco, Coimbra and Guarda are today at maximum risk of fire, at a point when temperatures will reach 39ºC in some regions.
IPMA, Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere, predicts maximum temperatures (of 39ºC) in in Santarém and Braga, slightly less in Leiria and Coimbra, 36ºC in Vila Real and Castelo Branco, 35ºC in Porto and Bragança, 34ºC in Lisbon and Évora and 32ºC in Braga, Guarda, Beja and Setúbal.
The Algarve mercifully is not expected to get much more than the high 20ºs, but the feel is another matter. It is feeling distinctly hot: the kind of weather where walking animals no longer makes sense after 9am and before 7pm.
All this contributes to the assessment of elevated fire risk.
According to IPMA calculations, fire danger will remain high in some districts at least until Wednesday (temperatures will start cooling tomorrow).
The fire risk, determined by the IPMA, has five levels, ranging from low to maximum. Calculations are obtained from air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and amount of precipitation in the last 24 hours.
Due to the hot weather, IPMA has placed the districts of Évora, Beja, Castelo Branco, Portalegre, Bragança, Guarda and Vila Real under yellow warning until 9pm on Tuesday.
IPMA forecasts generally partly cloudy skies today, with periods of greater cloudiness in the interior with the possibility of showers and thunderstorms and rising temperatures.
As a result of these predictions, the DGS (general health directorate) has recommended people increase their consumption of water, wear loose, cool clothing, use sunscreen every two hours, and try and keep out of the sun between 11am and 5pm.
Source material: LUSA
