According to the meteorologist from the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere(IPMA), sometimes heavy showers, thunderstorms and possibly hail are expected today, with a greater impact in the Baixo Alentejo and the Algarve.
“It is possible that rapid flooding will occur again, like yesterday [jeudi]but it is not comparable to what happened in Spain. The situation is more benign, but it is still floods which can have negative effects and cause damage,” Maria João Frada told the Lusa agency.
The IPMA therefore issued an orange warning for Beja and Faro until 6 p.m. today, then a yellow warning.
“However, it is likely that it will return to orange. The depression is practically stationary until Saturday and the wind component is from the southeast in these regions and everything comes from the sea. Extreme wind phenomena can also happen,” she said.
According to Maria João Frada, heavy showers are also expected in Setúbal and Lisbon, but with less intensity.
Setúbal and Lisbon are placed on yellow alert from 3 p.m. today to 6 a.m. Saturday, with forecasts of locally heavy showers, which can sometimes take the form of hail, accompanied by thunderstorms.
“It is possible that Lisbon and Setúbal will experience abundant precipitation, but the spatial and temporal distribution of precipitation is uncertain. There are no certainties, it is not mathematical,” she said.
The IPMA also issued a yellow alert due to heavy rain for Évora (until 3 p.m. today), Castelo Branco (between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. today) and Portalegre (between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.) .
“In Madeira we are also on alert. We are currently on yellow alert and as the depression moves southwest it is approaching Madeira with tropical air masses and there are also a potential for severity, which is why an orange alert has been issued for the island between 9 p.m. today and 9 a.m. Saturday,” she said.
The source of the worsening weather is a cold depression centered on the north of Madeira, with conditions conducive to the appearance of showers, sometimes heavy and accompanied by thunderstorms, with occasional hail, until Sunday morning .
The yellow alert, the least serious on a scale of three, is issued by the IPMA when there is a risk situation for certain activities depending on the meteorological situation, while the orange alert, the second most serious, is issued when there is a moderate to high risk weather situation.
Based on IPMA forecasts, the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority has issued a warning to the population that a “higher severity potential” is expected in lower Alentejo and the Algarve, warning the possibility of flooding in urban areas, flooding caused by overflowing rivers and landslides.
On Thursday, flooding occurred in the municipalities of Albufeira and Olhão, Faro district, due to heavy rains.
